


Springtide

by lalafucker



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Sun & Moon | Pokemon Sun & Moon Versions
Genre: Blood and Injury, Character Development, Character Study, Depression, F/F, F/M, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Multi, Pining, Slow Burn, Trauma, Unrequited Love, a dramatic retelling of the events that occurred in Alola and the thoughts that come along with them, bad life choices, good fashion choices, how to be a teenager and save the world, obnoxious kids causing trouble
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-30
Updated: 2018-07-15
Packaged: 2018-09-03 03:59:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 27,404
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8695792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lalafucker/pseuds/lalafucker
Summary: When kids who've been through too much go through even more together.





	1. Migranes

**Author's Note:**

> sorry this is short. its just an intro

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's a permanent vacation, except vacations are meant to be fun and, well, temporary. The fact that Moon is grumpy and hormonal helps the case.

 

"Honey? Moon, sweetie, wake up."

I grunted in response, my heavy eyelids groggily opening. My back was sore from the uncomfortable airplane chair. My arms felt like lead and my head was even worse. I was also impossibly whiny, if that wasn't apparent already. I looked at my mother, her smile causing friendly wrinkles by her eyes. Even through my discomfort, I gave a small grin back. She was trying her best, it would be unfair if I was ungrateful.

She nudged my arm, her eyes shining with joy."Look out your window. It's Melemele Island."

Cracking my stiff neck, and seeing my mother wince out of the corner of my eye at the harsh  _pop!_ , my breath caught at the scene in front of me. With my face practically smashed into the small window, my breath fogging the glass, I noted the gorgeous display. "Oh... Damn." Lush, green plains, trees expanding from miles and miles, glittering water, and _holy shit_ a volcano? Yeah, the idea of saying goodbye to the place I had spent 15 years of my life was heartbreaking, but I couldn't deny that view.

Leaning back into my seat, my throat tightened. The thought of my Pokemon, continuing life without me- it felt wrong. Sure, I'd miss people asking to hang out with me, and yeah, the times I spent with them were. . .Nice, I guess, I didn't have time for real attachment. The feeling of being surrounded by people my age who seemed to have had mediocre personalities and even more mediocre lives, wasn't something i'd shed tears over losing. Even when I did hang out with them, a large part of me knew i'd forget their faces in a few years-, or sometimes, a few days.

My Pokemon, however were a different story altogether. They weren't boring, even though they didn't speak. I suppose that itself spoke volumes about the inhabitants of Kanto- where the Pokemon were more colorful than the people.

 My Pokemon- hell. They were my everything. While other children would watch Pokemon battles from a screen with their friends, I'd be in the forest, battling trainers that weren't too strong, but could still hand me over my precious prize money that i'd collect with a carefully mirror-rehearsed snarky remark. The pride and interactions I shared with my Pokemon were not something that could be easily tossed away. Caring for them, battling with them, thinking with them. It molded me. Our bond was close knit. 

Now I just had that fucking Meowth, the rest of my beloved companions in the possession ofmy dad's old friend, who let me borrow the Pokemon in the first place. He was sympathetic towards our situation, so he lent me them for battling so that I could get the cash. His pity presents became my partners. It broke my heart to walk away from that laboratory that day. But I didn’t say anything. To add insult to injury, Mother just had to chose Meowth to be our companion, that fuc-

Mom read me like a book. Her hazel eyes softened, and her calloused hand squeezed mine. “I’m sorry honey. I know how much you wanted to stay in Kanto. I-”

Little too late, but she meant well.

“Hey- relax. Mom, I promise, I’m happy. As long as you keep that smile up, it’ll be worth it." Seeing her face, still drawn into an expression of worry, I continued. 

"I’ll be fineeee, jeez _._ Stop being a worry-wart and enjoy the view,” I gave a charming and reassuring smile and patted her hand absentmindedly, looking away. I didn’t want to continue the conversation.

My mom was strong. Seriously strong. Being a single mother was draining. She juggled two jobs and worked everyday.  But she never complained or faltered. It was blatant that the work was wearing her to the bone.  

Then, you know, it all just had to go to even more shit. 'Cause why not?

 The Poke Mart she worked at was shut down and being replaced with a bicycle shop. For a while, she tried making a living off of working at a restaurant, but it wasn’t enough. We started living paycheck from paycheck, and for a year, I learned that making my mom’s life easier was my priority. I battled for money, and even though Mom disapproved, she didn't have the means to say no to that cash it brought in.

Then Kukui came in. He used to be my father’s old college buddy. When he heard about our situation, he immediately invited us to live at his second house. He told us that he “never used that place anymore. I already did all the research I could over there, oh yeah!”. He informed us that many of the clothing stores were hiring and it had a high pay. That’s all we- well, my mom, needed to hear. So, three weeks later, we boarded a plane to the Alola region. Kukui, who was apparently loaded, paid for all the expenses for us to travel there.

The least I could do is be obedient and let her “start a new life” in paradise. She deserved it. Maybe it could be a fresh start for me too? But that was probably just wishful thinking. I wouldn't miss the debt, the work, and lack of, well, everything- but, I don't know. Kanto was. . .Home? Agh.

I pushed my thoughts away. I’d deal with them at a later time.

\---

 “Sweetheart, you didn’t sleep well on the trip here, did you? Oh, you must be exhausted. I want you to walk right to your bed, Moon. I need you revving to unpack all these boxes tomorrow!”

I didn’t argue, raising my hand to wave as a lazy form of saying goodnight. I sluggishly shuffled over to my room, and stopped at the globe. Kanto and Alola were so. . . far. I traced my fingers over the cold, smooth, surface. A sigh ushered out of my mouth. Running my hands through my ebony hair, I whopped face- first onto the bed, not bothering to remove the sheets. I wanted to yell. I wanted to throw a hissy fit over a problem that I couldn't even identify. Change shouldn't have been that hard to deal with. I'd dealt with way worse shit so why? Why was I so upset? Angst? Hormones? Didn't matter. I felt like shit. Rather than scream, I opted to suffocate myself with a pillow instead.

_Get over it. This is your life now. Moping isn't gonna do jack shit._

I was right.

My face still buried in my suicide- weapon pillow, I dozed off into a restless sleep.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that was my first chapter of my first fanfiction.  
> It's lit  
> pls gimme feedback


	2. Letter From a Deadbeat

“Mrow.”

 I pressed my pillow against my ears. 

“Mrow!”

 A sharp yowl pierced my ears. “What the hell do you wanttttt” I half groaned, half whined. _Why is it that every time I have a pleasant sleep, something just has to disturb it_? I grunted. It yowled, the high, obnoxious noise making me recoil. Like nails on a chalkboard.

 “Go away,I’m not in the mood for you.”

 There was a hiss, then I felt claws dig into my side. 

"AH! I swear to god you fucking cat-” I jumped out of my bed, causing Meowth to violently fly off the bed, making an angry strangled yelp as it fell.

“Serves you right, damn thing. I hope you know that I could easily deck you in the fucking throat." I wouldn't. But I could. And I thought that he should know that. It glared at me and I glared right back at that sack of meat.

"Try me, stupid cat, I dare you."

It pounced on my boxes, knocking the items over as he grumpily padded to the door, with me flicking him off as he left.Three brightly coloured books tumbled down with a thud. Rubbing my eyes, I bent down with a tired sniff to put the novels away, thinking they must've been my old textbooks. That is, until I saw what they actually were.

They were covered in dust, not having been touched in years. Frankly, I hadn’t even remembered we still had them. Their jolly outward appearance contrasted my emotions towards them. My eyes narrowed.

 “Adventure Journal 1: The Kanto Gyms”

 

“Adventure Journal 2: The Indigo League”

 

“Adventure Journal 3: The Pokedex”

 The pages had highlighted phrases, things _he_ thought were the most important. Clenching my jaw, I flipped through the pages, observing the detailed recordings of his adventure. Not that I cared. At all. I definitely didn’t care about anything that had to do with him. I rolled my eyes as I flipped to the last page. I remembered the script from the first time I read it, from what felt like a century ago.

Hey hey hey, Moony!

So- I was thinking, I'm writing this real spur of the moment, hope you don't mind, but anyways- I was thinking “Hey, what if my little sweetheart was gonna be just like me!” You know. . . a trainer! I want you to follow in my footsteps darling! Just imagine it! A father daughter battle duo! I bet we’re even gonna be able to beat the league! Together. So, I want you to see this when you’re older. I knew the moment that I looked at you that you’d be an amazing trainer. Here’s some tips that I know you’ll need for your  journey. We’ll be the greatest trainers in Kanto. Promise.

Lots of love,

                    Dad

I slammed the book shut, huffing angrily, blowing a a strand of hair from my face.

“Promise” my ass.

“When you’re older” Ha. He didn’t even see me when I got older.

“Together” Yeah, maybe if you’d  hung around, that’d be possible.

“Follow in my footsteps” You mean leave my family behind? You mean leave my wife to juggle two jobs that barely got us a meal on the table? I scoffed.

Like father like daughter? It disgusted me. I shoved the books right back into the box, throwing it into my closet. I didn’t want to look at them any longer. I heard my mom calling my name.

“I guess I should go help mom unpack”, I attempted and stepped outside.

\---

“You were out like a light. You ought to be full of energy by now!”, she said, a charming beam gracing her features. “Aren’t you just pumped to meet all the Alolan pokemon?" I chuckled at her enthusiasm. “ Uh huh.You bet. I just need to see the professor so that he can show me around and give me my Pokemon. I’m pretty hyped to see everything.”

It wasn’t a complete lie. I was excited to see the Pokemon; I hadn’t known in the slightest wat to expect from Pokemon here. The idea of seeing new partners and friends made my heart flutter. But there was a part of me that still longed for my home. I tried not to dwell on it. I wouldn’t let my negativity and doubts get in the way of the experience. I pushed myself to leave my thoughts of the day before in the back of my head. _I will not ruin this._ No point in being a downer. I drilled it into my skull. _I’m gonna do my best._

  _I’m gonna do my best._

_I will enjoy this._

_I’m gonna do my best._

 The doorbell chimed, interrupting the mantra echoing in my brain.

“Ah! Speaking of, that must be Professor Kukui! Why don’t you go let him in, Moon?”

I made my way over to the door, hand outstretched. However, as my hand hovered near the doorknob, the entrance flew open, in turn making me startled enough to fly a step or two back.

 The dude who walked in looked young, with pleasant, dark eyes framed with teal glasses. His skin tone was olive, similar to mine. He had a goatee, and his brown hair was styled into a man bun. His fashion choices were. . . interesting. A dirty lab coat, adorned with scratches and burns, over his bare torso.

Must be an Alolan thing. I wondered if everyone pranced around shirtless there. That would either be horrendously mortifying, or pretty enjoyable, I thought.

 Something about him just emanated a sense of jolliness. He gave off a chill, sort of laid back vibe. I felt at ease. He seemed cool. Hip. In with the times or something like that.

 “Hey there, Moon! The name’s Kukui. Good to meet you, cousin!”. He stuck a hand out, a big welcoming grin on his face.

 “Nice to meet you, Professor”. I heartily shook his hand, attempting to match his zeal.

 “You must be pretty tired after that flight. After all, Kanto and Alola are long ways off from here.”

 Ah. No need to remind me. “Haha, yeah i’m pretty beat. I’ll brighten up when I start exploring this place.” His eyes gave off a twinkle as he heard my words.

 “Kukui! It’s been a long time, huh”, mom strode over. “Hey, ma! You don’t look a day over 16, haha! Sorry for just barging in.” They exchanged a quick hug, and mother insisted that there was nothing to apologize for, and that he was always welcome.

 I leaned on the counter and watched. It was weird. He felt familiar, normal. Like he wasn't a complete stranger. I was quiet while listening to them speak about how Professor battled the Indigo league all those years ago.

Mom was 24, and cared for me all alone for when they were gone. I was 5 when they left. My father was 25 when he took on the league, and Kukui was 19. They had become friends at university, when Kukui traveled to Kanto for a year to study. They both bonded over their hopes and aspirations, and I guess they decided to have an adventure. Both of them acquired all 8 badges.

 They both lost to Lance, the champion at the time. When he came back, it was my 6th birthday. I guess he decided the “home life” wasn’t for him anymore.

 Because, you know,

 The bastard left a year later.

 A booming voice brought me back to reality. “Hey now, Moon, don’t go blankin’ out on me! Let’s get a move on to the next town over, cousin! You just gotta meet the Island Kahuna! He’s one hell of a guy. Oh yeah, and you’ll be gettin’ yourself a partner Pokemon, yeah!”

 I raised an eyebrow. “Uh, sounds great and all, Professor, but. . . What’s a kahuna?”

 “Ah, the kahuna of Melemele Island! He’s a crazy strong trainer. Every island in the Alola region has a Kahuna, and you can only battle them after you’ve cleared the Island Trials of that particular island, yeah! Get it, cousin?”, he explained in fervor.

 The information overload made my head spin, but I nodded. “Yeah, sounds good.”

 My mom grinned from ear to ear. She must’ve been worried about how i’d be taking this.

“Well then, Moon, hurry up and get ready! You’re about to start your own adventure!”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, here's a couple of things i'd like to mention:  
> -Ok, so here's the thing with age. None of it is canon, so I'm basing this off of what works and makes sense. If you were a little confused, here's a list of the ages that people were when certain events occurred  
> -Moon's mom was 19 when she had her. Moon's Dad was 20.  
> -Moon was 5 years old when her father, who was 25, took on the league. Alongside him was Kukui, who was 19 at the time. Moon's mother was 24.  
> \- The league itself took a little less than a year. Moon was 6 when her father returned, after the league and trying to fill the pokedex.  
> \- Moon's dad left when she was 7.  
> -Currently, Moon is 15, Kukui is 29, Mother is 34, and Moon's father would be 35.  
> \---  
> pls leave a comment, friendly criticism and feedback is very appreciated  
> ALSo!! Comment what pokemon you wanna see on Moon's team. 
> 
> Thank you!


	3. Ambivalence

Adventure?

 What did that even mean? How long was I going to be away for? It had clicked that the “Island trials” were basically the Alolan equivalent of the League challenge back in Kanto. But. . .it had taken my dad a whole _year_ to complete it. Didn’t I get a say in this? What if I didn’t want to start and adventure? I mean, I was just a kid! I was just, well. . .

Me?

Did they expect me to clear all the trials? To become some sort of mega- trainer? I couldn't do that! It was dumb for them to expect that I can! Right? 

Another voice bloomed in my thoughts.

_You know, Moon, they did it._

Who? What?

_Those two boys. They beat the league. They were twelve. If twelve year olds can become the strongest trainers of Kanto, why can’t you?_

Why can’t I? Well-Because-I-

I wasn't strong enough. I wasn't a good enough trainer. I’d only beat level 5 Pokemon in Viridian forest and some snot nosed lil' kids. It was a joke to think that I could even attempt the trials.

 _The fuck dude? You think they were? You think they started off with Dragonites? Nope. Nada._ _They_ **_became_ ** _strong._ _They tried._ _They could, because they tried. And you can't... why? Because you're scared. You're terrified. You say you can handle change but you fear  it. Just like you did back then._

_But you adapted. You feared, but you overcame it. Don't tell me you can't do that again, right?_

 I hated that my internal heroic monologue had to be right.

 I didn’t know what could happen. I didn’t know how far i’d go, if i’d succeed or fail. The “what ifs” and the “maybes” echoed in my head, but I figured that in order to find out, the least I could do is try. I guessed to a lot of people, it wasn’t a big deal. In Kanto, children would get their starters at a young age and try to go far. Not many did. I heard that this trend was present in all, if not most regions.

I don’t know why it was such a daunting idea to me. I don’t think it was because I was afraid to leave home-  More like- yeah. Fear. If I had my hopes up about becoming island challenge champion, and couldn’t even make it past the first trial, it would crush me. A knot of dread was present in my chest. I took a deep breath. 

_C'mon moon. dont say no to this._

I knew i'd regret turning this down. The picture of life becoming a routine, every day the same as the last. . . This was my chance to break the loop. To start something new. 

To not be mediocre. To be more. To stop being afraid.A sigh escaped me as my mind made itself up. Though the word struck me as frightening at first, I supposed _'Adventure’_ was a fitting title to describe it. At the very least, things would be a bit more interesting than being in this house with my fucking Meowth.

I rummaged through my unorganized clutter of clothes and threw on a black tanktop and some shorts, paired with sneakers. As per the professor’s request, I added a black snapback hat. I grabbed a backpack. If this journey was as tough as I pictured, I imagined items would come in handy. Scanning through my boxes, I attempted to grab only my most important needs.

My eyes landed on my clothes. How many shirts would I need? Socks? Underwear? Would I need to have, I dunno, dresses? My mouth settled into a frown as I opted to grab all my tops. And pants. And shorts. And eh, a couple of dresses, because why not? Oh, and I couldn't forget about my converse. Thankfully, the bag was surprisingly roomy. 

I swept my plethora of hair products and makeup into the bag. Had to keep it sharp, right? I checked my jawline in my handheld mirror, I winked at my reflection and tossed it into the overloaded bag. I popped a bottle of Advil in there for the safe side. Everything seemed in order. I'd get a workout from hefting the bag over my shoulder.

I stepped out of my room. 

 ---

“Ah, Moon! You look ready for anything now. Have a good time out there!” Whoa. Jesus. Eager, much? Mom seemed way too ready for this. I gulped. Just like that? She’s saying goodbye just like that? I waited for her to elaborate. Nothing. 

You’d think that after her husband left her, she’d hold on to her family more. I mentally scolded myself.

 _You’re being too harsh on her. She’s probably just excited to see you become a trainer._ _Right?_

“I’ll be sure to have everything cleaned up and put away by the time you come back with your new Pokemon, sweetie.” 

By the time I come back? Who knows when that's gonna be? I smiled back. “Haha, yeah. Thanks mom.”  There was a knot in the pit of my stomach. A wave of unease washed over me. I didn't give a shit about boxes! 

_I'm leaving! Like, for a long time? Give me anything, something, anything._

_Say something more. Anything. You're my mother. You care about me right?_

_So why aren't you doing anything?_

“WHOO! That is one stylin’ hat cousin! You ready to head out?”, Kukui seemed to be exuding avidity. That was the one thing that calmed me a bit. I scratched the back of my head. “Uh, yeah. Yeah. I’m ready, I guess.”

 Mom cleared her throat. “Moon, Kukui. I’m going to take a little rest, alright? Sweetheart, have fun on your journey. I’ll be right here. I love you.” She made her way over and wrapped her arms around me.My heart dropped. She wasn’t going to see me off? Wasn’t she going to at least come and see me get my starter Pokemon? She’s just. . . Letting me go?  

 Maybe after all those years of slaving away for me, she had gotten tired of me?

 But. . .

 I was still her kid. So, why was she just letting me leave? She went into her room. The bang of the door synchronized with the red hot flare in my stomach. 

 I clenched my fists. Seriously? Seriously. What the fuck.

 “Uh, hey kiddo! Your ma. . . She’s sure eager for you to begin your adventure, huh?”. He seemed a little confused as well. I locked my jaw. I was getting angry. What type of mother just let’s her kid disappear for who knows how long? I didn’t respond to the Professor. I saw his eyes widen at my expression.

 “Eh. Oi, cousin! Let’s get going to Iki town, alright?”, he patted my back, brows still furrowed, and together, we left my house.

 Once we were outside, with the sun beating down on our faces, Kukui pulled me aside. “Moon. Listen, It’s not much of my business, but. . . Maybe your ma just couldn’t bear to see you go?"It was a blatant attempt to cheer me up. Even if it were true, I couldn’t help but think that it was still selfish of her.

 A part of me hoped that he was right.Another part tried to tell myself that I didn’t care.

 “Whatever. It’s fine, Professor,” I saw that he wasn't content with my response, so I quickly added, “But uh, thanks, maybe you’re right.”

 His features lit up. That was easy. “That’s right! Now let’s get a move on, yeah! To Iki town!”

 He ran ahead, leaving me to catch up with him.The Professor was an odd mix. Sometimes he had no chill. But at the same time, he was chill. It was confusing, but I rather liked it.

 I followed.

\---

 The path was scenic, the gentle breeze caressed your face and evened out the intense heat of the morning.

Kukui was sweet, always asking what I thought about certain views- “Whoo, boy. Look at that ocean. It still takes my breath away till’ this day. Ain’t that right, Moon?”

 I made small talk with some of the locals wandering route 1. Apparently word spread fast of a new resident, as I was referred to as the “That new Kantonian gal!”. Not that I particularly minded. The children were curious and filled to the brim with inquisitions about Kanto, and the adults were extremely generous, giving me helpful advice and much- needed items for the coming future. Young trainers excitedly approached Kukui, begging for a battle. He’d  ruffle their hair and say “Sorry, kiddo. Showin’ Moon here around. How about you come back and ask for a battle once your Pokemon learn a new move, oh yeah!”

 “Ay, cousin. You know how to battle and catch Pokemon n’ all that jazz, yeah?”

 I laughed a little. “Yeah, don’t worry about the tutorials Professor. Thank you though”, Once I said it, I worried that I sounded egotistical.

 Apparently, he didn’t think so. His eyebrow popped up, and his voice was riddled with amusement “Oh yeah, I could tell you were already a pretty good trainer to start with!" He suddenly pointed ahead, "And would ya look at that! Iki Town is right over there!”

\---

 It was a quaint town. People were laughing and bustling around. The community was blatantly close knit and familiar. It seemed to have a big cultural influence. Something about it just felt welcoming. The Professor grinned. “This is the town where people come to worship the Pokemon that watches over Melemele Island. Tapu Koko keeps us all safe and happy, see!”

 I furrowed my eyebrows. “Huh? So. . . He’s a Pokemon right?”

 “Yeah yeah! A real strong one at that. Why d’you ask?”

 “Well…”I scratched the back of my head, “No reason. Just curious.”

 The gears in my head turned. If it was a Pokemon. . .  You could catch it. So why hadn’t anyone? I chided myself. It was probably too strong, and if anyone caught it they’d have too much power.

 Kukui’s puzzled voice brought my attention back to earth. “Huh? We were supposed to meet everybody right here? Ahhh… Maybe they’re all back on Mahalo Trail.” He turned to face me. “That’s actually where Tapu Koko’s ruins are, yeah. . .”

 “Moon, i’m gonna hold down base over here. Hopefully everyone will come here in a bit. Do me a solid and find the Kahuna for me, yeah?”

 “Uh, right, but I don’t really know what he looks like or anything,” I said hesitantly.

 “Nah you can’t miss ‘em. He looks just like a Kahuna, yeah!”

 Real helpful, but I choose not to argue as he pulled out his phone, smiling at the screen and furiously typing on it.

\---

The locals were nice enough, giving me items and describe the Kahuna, Hala, for me. He seemed like he’s be a breeze to locate, but apparently not.  I made my way up the stairs, where a big. . . stage? Stadium?- awaited me. I glanced around for a “big ol' guy wearin’ yellow”.

But I saw something else instead.

 

Someone, rather.

 

They certainly weren’t big. Or wearing yellow.

 

A little whisper reached my ears, and I caught some of the words.  

“Ruins”

“Find’’

 I couldn’t seem to take my eyes off of her. I don’t think I wanted to either.

 There was something in her chunky looking bag. It didn’t suit her, i thought.

 She was much more delicate looking.

 Her white boots carefully trod into what Kukui called “Mahalo Trail”

 As her long, blonde hair disappeared,

  
  
my feet started moving on their own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kind of a slow chapter, but it was pretty necessary for the future. 
> 
> thanks for all the positive feedback. validation is what keeps me going lol
> 
> (Also there aint no way in hell i'm gonna write Moon wearing that chicken hat sorry bout it)
> 
> Feedback is really appreciated. 
> 
> Be sure to leave a comment of what pokemon you want on Moon's team yo


	4. The Collapse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Moon really does not know why the universe wants her to die, but it's really killin the vibe.

  _Oi Moon, the hell you doing?_

 

_You should be finding the kahuna_

 

_You’re following a random chick into the woods._

 

_What are you trying to accomplish here buddy boy?_

 

All valid questions and points, I admitted to myself; however I didn’t care about what the logical side of myself had to say at the moment, choosing instead to concentrate on the spy music that was playing in my head.

Mahalo trail itself was a scenic place, almost radiating a sense of spirituality. The sound of bugs and birds provided extraneous noise. The lush greenery was still vibrant, even though the sky was a hue of navy, glittered with clear, shining stars. Didn’t Kukui say that Tapu. . . uh- whoever lived here?

I paced stealthily, ninja style, realizing that the girl would most likely run away if she saw someone following her. She was out of eyeshot, so I tried to hasten. No one else was around, and the nighttime breeze was giving me goosebumps. There was a particular uncertainty in the air.

The girl was right there. She had stopped walking. My eyes widened as I did an unnecessary, however well executed somersault behind a tree, peeking my head out a little, smiling because that somersault was pretty good and I felt like a superhero. Not that it mattered. Her oversized bag shook, as though something was inside. Her platinum hair whipped around her, looking almost as if it were fluid.

I still hadn’t seen her face.

Although, I imagined it was pretty.

_Uh- well-_

She probably wasn’t ugly.

_Nice observation! But, really not what you should be focusing on at the moment, Moon._

I continued to follow her as she kept walking ahead.

 ---

A large clearing that contained a dilapidated bridge came into view. And so did she.

As I concealed myself behind the foliage, she jogged to the start of the bridge, one hand on her bag, the other holding down her rather large white hat; she seemed to be in much more of an urgency that before.

I raised an eyebrow. What was she doing? Where was she going? She certainly didn’t look like the other residents of Iki town. Who is this girl? Did I look alright? Before I could further contemplate those thoughts, I clapped my hand over my mouth to prevent myself from exclaiming.

I didn’t really know what I was witnessing. Blondie yelped as her bag shook violently.

“Neb-!” Her high voice yelled.

And out of her bag soared a Pokemon that i’d never laid my eyes on before.

It’s glittering scheme of dark blue matched the very sky above it. It’s body twinkled as it floated over the bridge, it’s tiny face expressing pure joy.

“Wait! Come back! Neb- Oh no. No, no, no!”

Just as Blondie tried reaching out to it, a triad of aggressive looking Spearows swooped down, assaulting the now cowering Pokemon. It cried out in fear. And so did she.

 When I saw her choke out pleads of “Wait! No!”and her legs shaking-

 I don’t know what came over me. I just knew I needed to help her. My spidey senses were going crazy out the wazoo.

 I rushed over to her, and as she twirled around, emerald eyes wide with fear and hysteria,

 My breath caught.

 It was like she was,

 Well,

  _Glowing._ Angelic, almost.

 As though the moon itself was radiating from her.

 She was bea-

 “P- please, help! Save- save my Pokemon!”

_oh, right_

 She was quaking so badly. I thought that I probably should do something. _Just don't be too reckless, Moon._  I placed two firm hands on her shoulders, and though she recoiled a bit, I stated with confidence, “Hey, it’s alright. He’ll be ok.” I threw in the most intrepid smile I could muster, just to reassure her.

 (In hindsight I probably came off as a cocky fuck, but hey, what can you do.)

 She nodded, still obviously unsure, tremors coursing through her small frame. I stepped onto the bridge, ready to run the fuck to the Pokemon.

 Bad idea.

 The whole bridge shook, swaying dangerously side to side.

_OH my god? oh my god! holy shit. thats it,thats the end. FUCK_

I heard a sharp gasp from behind me as I tried to stay still. So much for not being reckless. 

_Goddammit Moon you’re an idiot._

 

_Wait._

 

_Oh MY god you don’t even have a Pokemon to battle the Spearow do you._

 

Great, that’s great. Peachy, just peachy. I was so fucked.

 “Uhhh, agh, alright.” I forced myself to look away from the rushing water beneath me. I tried to step as lightly as possible.

_Don’t look down. Don’t you look down you stupid, stupid bitch you._

I pressed my eyes shut, murmuring whispers that vague sounded like, "im gonna fucking die"

_JEsus idiot- I said don't look down, not don't look at all! Open your eyes!_

Oh yeah, good idea.

I took a deep breath, cracked my neck and walked forward.

 It went smoothly for a bit, but my heart nearly stopped when I slipped on the damp wood, and my leg kicked a plank down into the water, leaving me dangling, inches from falling. What should’ve been a couple of minutes felt like hours when I was crossing the bridge.

 Once I turned around to look at the girl. She had buried her face in her hands. She couldn’t bear to look after the plank incident. I didn’t blame her.

 I managed to make my way up to the Spearow.

 The Pokemon was badly injured, and the Spearow seemed to be unrelenting. The little Pokemon cried out in pain.

 "Uh, hm. Okay. Well."  Not knowing what else I could do, I shielded the Pokemon, crouching over it.

 I tried not to cry out as they struck at me, ripping my clothing, tearing my skin.

 I felt something warm run down my forehead.

It was blood, I realized, as it went across my lips.

Everything stung, but the mantra of _"this is fine_ , _im fine, im fine, im fine”_ kept me from crying and screaming.

 The quaking Pokemon beneath me seemed well, alive, so that was all that mattered. I yelped as I was scratched across the back of my neck. I grit my teeth, keeping more pathetic noises from escaping me. How long would this last? How long had it lasted already?  

 Just as the thought crossed my mind, a glaring flare of energy erupted from beneath me.

 A wave of heat hit me, and the glare made my eyes involuntarily squint. It was like a blast of pure power had detonated from the Pokemon.

 The Spearow, singed from the blast, flew away.

 And with that, The bridge keeping us up disintegrated in front of my very eyes.

  _oh, fuck._

 I was in too much of a shock to scream. I was gonna die. The wind was knocked out of me.

  _Huh._

 I hadn’t even started my _‘adventure’_ and I was already going to die? The wind was rushing around my ears, my hair whipping violently, my arms tightly clasped around the seemingly unconscious Pokemon.

 I shut my eyes, knowing the water was seconds away. How come I wasn’t sobbing or screaming?

 I heard a bloodcurdling shriek.

  _The girl._

 Ah man. She’d have to see me die.

  _This sucks butt, man._

 A loud noise shot my eyes open.

 A bolt of electricity split the sky,

 And something appeared. What it was, I wasn’t exactly sure of. I wasn't sure of anything.

 It was black and yellow, with an orange plume. It was flying.

 And right as I was about to hit the water, and it was all about to end, it grabbed me. I didn’t have time to process anything that had happened. I was yelling a slew of profanities, and that's all i remembered from the blur.

 It rushed me over to where the girl stood. Her hands were clasped around her mouth. I was on the ground, heart racing, scratches covering my back and legs, Pokemon in my arms, mouth agape.

 The savior looked right at me. I stared back, blood running down the side of my forehead. A surge of electricity came from it’s body.

 And just as rapidly as it had come, the mysterious Pokemon shot up into the navy sky.

 My hairs stood on end.

 The girl turned to face me, seeming like she was on the verge of tears.

 I heaved, my breathes rapid and uneven.

 A thousand questions raced my mind, and I just wanted time to process the many events that had occurred in a short amount of time.

  _What just happened?_

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -Yo this fanfiction is gonna be so long hahaaaa
> 
> -Moon tries real hard to seem cool guys
> 
> -being in denial is her second hobby after pyukumuku chucking lmaooo
> 
> Hope you guys enjoyed that chapter! I'm taking finals this week so it wasn't the best, I think- but winter break is soon, so look forward to better writing then!
> 
> Feedback, comments, and criticisms are highly valued by moi.
> 
> Tell me what Pokemon you wanna see on the squaaad


	5. Under the Moonlight

I literally just wanted to pass out. My raspy panting hurt my chest, my scraped legs and grazed elbows stung against the rough ground, my head felt like it was going to combust.

 But I was alive. I think.

 My insides weren’t lacerated, my bones weren’t powder, my body seemed to be mostly intact.That Pokemon saved me. My hat had fallen off somewhere amongst the events that had occurred. The vibrant little Pokemon seemed pleased that we were alive, as it nuzzled into my tattered tank top.

 And, although I should’ve been the one with the look of horror on my face, there she stood, looking absolutely appalled.

 “Y-you- Oh my god you’re hurt so bad- so badly, oh no,  what just even happened-  the Tapu-  Nebby- this is all my fault, I’m- oh- Are you- oh gosh, are you hurt?”

 I wasn’t sure how it was possible for her to be more of a mess than me, but somehow, she pulled it off. She was stammering like crazy. She had reached her hand out, but quickly withdrew, hovering around, not touching me, perhaps because she was afraid of hurting me.

 “I- er, I’m alright, I think. No, yeah, I’m fine, haha, d- don’t worry,” I breathed out.

 I lied. I actually just wanted to sleep. For the rest of the year.

 I tried to get  up, planning on going back to Kukui with the girl and figuring out what had happened, and hopefully getting me patched up.

 Tried, being the keyword. I pushed myself into a standing position with little exertion, just a sharp pain shooting from the back of my knees.

  _Good job Moon. Nice. I am proud of you_

 Then I took a step.

  _God fucking hell you fool_.

 Of course i’d immediately get dizzy, Of course I’d trip, of course the girl would be doe- eyed staring, of course i’d look like a weak dumbass.

 No, no, that’s just fine.

 Perfect, in fact.

But the ground didn’t make contact with my face. Instead, there was a surprising blur of white. And she was there, gently putting my arm over her, and supporting me with hers.

 She didn’t look scared anymore. She didn’t- couldn’t?- look me in the eye.

 She smelled like lillies.

  _Would you stop fucking smelling her you weirdo._

 Her voice was quiet, and guilty, a shadow over her brilliant emerald eyes ( _shut the fuck up, Moon.)_

 “This… is all my fault. You’re hurt because of me. I can’t do anything right. I- I’m sorry.” Oh god, she looked so upset.

 “Ppppht. I’m completely fine, dude. Promise. I- I just tripped over my shoelace is all, haha! Don’t worry about it.” I gave her my signature Dazzling Grin™.

 She pursed her lips and looked down at my shoes. They were perfectly tied into two bows, double knotted.

  _Are you actually shitting me right now._

 I gulped. “I. Uh-”, a cheery “ _Pew!”_ (thankfully) interrupted me, and the girl turned towards her Pokemon.

 “Nebby? What’s wrong?”, she asked, her tone concerned.

 I smirked. “Nebby?”

 “C- Cosmog! I meant Cosmog.” she squeaked. Her face was red. It was endearing.

 “I like it. Nebby. It’s cute.”

 Still averting her eyes, the rosy tint on her cheeks even more prominent than before. I tore my eyes away from her.

 She cleared her throat. “Uh. Um, Nebby, what do you have there?”

 Nebby bobbed over, something twinkling on its azure head. Blondie lifted the object up, holding it up to the moon. She observed it’s features, twirling it around in her dainty hand.

 “Hm, some sort of. . . stone. It feels warm to the touch, somehow,” She eyed me sheepishly, before pressing the stone in my hand. “Here. You can have it. I mean- if you want, of course.”

 I smiled softly, nodding, vaguely wondering what type of thank you a fucking rock was, and why I was so happy about it."Thanks. Let’s head back to Iki town, ok?”

 “Wait. Before we go, one more thing. I’m sorry. You must be in pain right now.” She looked hesitant. “Just- please don’t tell anyone about this. About Nebby. Please.” She was pleading.

 “Yeah, sure. No problem. I won’t say a thing.”

 And with that, we descended down Mahalo Trail once more, Nebby hovering around us, my arm slung around her shoulders, and hers around mine.

\---

 The cool breeze, scented of hibiscus, danced around us, tousling our hair. The stars were bright, and a fair amount of time had probably passed. Kukui was most likely worried out of his mind. Just a few steps in front of the end of Mahalo Trail, Blondie came to a gradual stop.  

 “Something wrong? You ok?” I asked, brows furrowed in concern.

She slowly nodded. “Yes. I- I’m alright. Because you helped me. And risked your life. You could have- You could have died. Thank you very much.”

 My eyes twinkled. “It was my pleasure to help you, Blondie. No “thanks” needed.”

 I saw her raise an eyebrow at her nickname.

  _Great, Nice one Moon, you’ve made her upset._

  _Damn it._

  _Way to be a dumbass._

As we silently stepped back into Iki town. I could’ve sworn I saw a ghost of a smile gracing her features.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -This chapter we: Literally walked like 10 fucking steps im so sorry  
> \- Both of them are so fucking confused im laughing
> 
> Sorry for the short chapter children i feel bad  
> Feedback, comments, and criticisms are highly valued by moi.
> 
> Tell me what Pokemon you wanna see on the squaaad


	6. Bite Marks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> she's gonna have to get used to this

 “OI! Finally! Took ya long enough. Looks like you’ve met L- _Jesus Christ Moon!_ What the hell happened to ya?”, Kukui stood flabbergasted as I limped into view, Blondie helping me along.

 I offered him a guilty smile as, surprisingly, Blondie spoke up. “Professor, could we please speak in private? You’ll want to hear about the events that have just come to pass.” She spoke with much more stability to the professor.

 I cocked my eyebrow up. “You two know each other?”

 Before she could respond, Kukui broke in, “Yeesh, ah, not the time kiddos. Go into old Hala’s house, wait for me there. Moon, i’m going to go fetch some first aid supplies, ok? I’ll patch you right up. Then we can talk, yeah.” He scratched the back of his head, and with an _“oh man oh man”_ he jogged off.

 As he left our field of vision, we walked to the prodigious abode to the side of the town. During our short walk, I started to notice  that Blondie’s eyes were darting about, her hands getting gradually more clammy, she was chewing the insides of her mouth, and fidgeting about. Nebby seemed to notice as well, as he quieted down in his cramped duffel.

_What’s got her so frazzled?_

Just as she was about to turn the doorknob, I squeezed her shoulder, jolting her from her perturbed state.

 “Hey, whatever’s got you worked up, don’t worry about it. You’ve got me, Blondie.” I said with a light smile.

 At least, that’s what I wanted to say. Instead all that came out was, “Uh- you good bro?”

 She gulped, glancing around. “I- Yes. I’m - fine, thank you.” I didn’t blame her for not telling me, I mean I met her legit about an hour ago.

 Yeah, if I were her, I wouldn’t say anything.

\---

The interior of the house was vibrant, all bright lights and tribal patterns, cobalt blues and lemon yellows. A lofty chair was stationed at the front, reminiscent of a throne. I guess with this Hala dude being a kahuna and all, he gets a throne. It seemed a little much, but I didn’t even know the guy, so I couldn’t judge.

 Lillie gently sat me down on one of the firm chairs, then proceeded to sit across from me. We both avoided eye contact. There were so many things I wanted to say. 

  _Who are you?_

  _Who is that Pokemon?_

  _What is your name?_

  _How do you and Kukui know each other?_

  _Why were you at the bridge?_

 

But I didn’t.  Who was I to pry? Why should she answer? the questions started with "W" too, I noticed. sorry. anyway.

  _Well, I mean you kinda saved her life._

 But- I don’t expect anything out of her! I don’t want her to feel like she owes me answers!

  _But like-... she kinda does owe you that much, bud._

 Heroes don’t do things for something in return!

  _Phht- Hero my ass. Since when are you a hero? I call BS._

 Since I saved a girl’s Pokemon and almost died because of it.

  _…_

Haha, fuck you inner monologue. Suck this logic.

 I realized I had my head down and my fingers were laced- I probably looked pretty intense. I looked up to a pair of green eyes, intently staring. She realized I was gazing back as her head snapped to the floor, bent on averting eye contact.

 Why was this so awkward?

 Maybe it was the huge house.

 Or that we were alone.

 Or that Nebby seemed to be enjoying this thoroughly.

 Or  that my shirt was shredded. Was I being self conscious?

  _Say something._

 What? What should I say?

  _Anything! Why are you_ **_making_ ** _this so awkward?_

 “So how do you know K-”

 “Uh, so how do know Pro-”

 From not speaking at all, we both began our inquiries- At the exact damn time.

 I saw a small smile form on her lips. It was a large difference; her face when overcome by fear, and her face when she was amused. My mouth curved upward,

 “You go first.”

 Before she began speaking, however, the door burst open, naturally.

 “Sorry I’m late”, the Professor’s voice boomed, “I’m sure you kiddos had a bunch to talk about, eh?”

 I gave him a look of _“you’ve gotta be fuckin with me”_ and Blondie let out a little snort.

 Kukui had a white little kit in his hands as he strode over, and he plopped down next to me with a thud.  “Ok, then. Moon, I’m gonna bandage you right up, oh yeah! But, just in case, I gotta disinfect ya. Might sting a little- sorry in advance.” He looked over to Blondie.

 “I’m sure you’ve introduced yourselves, but Moon, this is Lillie, my assistant. Lillie, this is Moon. She just moved here from Kanto.” I grinned. “Lillie? I like it.” Something about the situation had diffused- I wasn’t as reserved.

 She offered a small smile in return. “It’s nice to meet you. Well, I mean- Of course, we met prior to this- I meant, as in formally-,” She let out a small huff of annoyance and cut herself off. “Ahem. I like your name as well.”

 It was good to see her at least attempting to not be flustered.

 “Back on track- Lillie. Explain what happened while I fix up Moon. You sounded urgent. And-,” He eyed my cuts, “-from the looks of it, whatever happened was serious.”

 With a nod, she began.

\---

It felt like someone had lit me on _fucking_ fire.

 I honestly don’t know what hurt more- The damn Spearow, or the fucking _stinging_.

 It took all it had in me not to scream bloody murder, and the whimpers I let out into the pillow Kukui had given me to bury my face in were not helping my “hero” image. I probably sounded like a kicked puppy.

 I heard tidbits of Lillie’s voice, narrating the prior events, but most of it was blocked out from my brain screaming shameless profanities.

 First were my arms, then my legs. Having a beach boy in a lab coat pour alcohol on my legs and bandage them up wasn’t the most comfortable experience- but I oddly trusted him. Apparently, he served as a medic as well, healing up the young trainers around Iki town.

 I had forgotten about the scratches running down my back. They were the last things left to do. Obviously, I was uneasy with the idea of the Professor doing it,  so he understandingly asked Lillie to. I immediately objected.

 Lillie flinched at my harsh tone. I took the bandages and alcohol, insisting that I’d manage. Kukui simply gave me a nod, and and turned to Lillie, gesturing for her to continue the story, trying to change the subject.

 I saw her eyes follow me as she continued speaking. I hid my wincing.

 I limped on over to the bathroom, gritting my teeth. Leaning against the sink, I saw myself in the mirror for the first time that day.

 “Oh my fuck.”

 I looked like a truck pummeled me, no lie.  My hair was in tangles, my eyes had dark circles, I just looked so _tired._

 I laughed a little to myself, combing my fingers through my short locks, attempting to smooth it out. The thought of “ _i really didnt think this was how my first day at alola was going to go._ ” crossed my mind.

 I didn’t overthink it too much.

 I turned to the supplies and took a deep breath.

Cracking my neck, I pulled off my shirt, still not prepared for the pain I was gonna inflict on myself.

\---

 The blood that streamed from my arm was the least painful thing about the situation.

Sitting on the edge of the sink, I poured the alcohol on my back. The excess of the stinging fluid mixed with dried blood went down into the drain.  

 I had to bite into my forearm to prevent the strangled shrieks that formed in the back of my throat from escaping. Crimson began to flow from the punctures, my jaw still locked around it. My breaths came out as uneven strained huffs through my nose.

 I shakily applied the bandages, although it was hard to do so on my own- what with tremulous hands and odd angles. It was shoddy handiwork, but, hey, what’re you gonna do?

 I felt like shit. I splashed water on my face as a sorry attempt to return it’s color.

 (It didn’t work)

 Rummaging through my bag, I pulled out a wrinkled black v- neck shirt and some beige skinny jeans to replace the shreds of my previous outfit. I didn’t have a second hat, though. I huffed, pushing the door open. The Professor's and Lillie’s heads immediately snapped to me.

 “You ok, Moon?”, Kukui asked. Lillie brows were drawn in concern.

 I shrugged with a humorless smile.  _i was bird food for a hot minute, then got blown off a bridge. you?_  “Not gonna complain, Professor. Lillie told you about what happened right? Whatcha think?”

 He scratched his head. “Welp, it’s certainly something. Tapu Koko coming to save you, it’s unheard of-” My eyes widened. “Whoa whoa whoa. Hold on a sec. Are you saying that Pokemon was Tapu Koko?”

 A grin broke out on Kukui’s face. Lillie spoke. “Yes, it was. I told the Professor every detail of what that Pokemon looked like. It’s an exact match to the guardian on Mele Mele. And it’s no coincidence that it’s ruins were not so far from us.”

 Kukui nodded. “Lillie told me you got a stone, eh? Can I have a look at it?”

 As I reached into my bag, my heart skipped a beat as the door slammed open with a loud **_THUD._** I yelped and the stone clattered out of my grasp and onto the floor.

 Kukui jumped a little, his hat askew on his head. Lillie nearly toppled off of the couch.

 “KUKUI,” A thunderous voice boomed from the entrance. “How many times does this old man have to tell you to stop coming into my house uninvited?”

 Ah. Yes, a “big guy wearin’ yellow” was a fitting description.

 “Hala! Whoo, boy, you sure missed a whole lotta juice!”, the Professor chuckled blithely, seemingly unfazed of being rebuked on his apparent break-in.

 Kahuna Hala had an appearance somewhat akin to that of a sumo wrestler. Gruff and vast, a harsh exterior with a matching voice. His vibrant clothes seemed to match the interior’s vivaciousness

“Huh? Aiye, tell me what happened. _Outside._ I’m not throwin’ a house party here Kukui.” His words seemed surly, his face was light-hearted.

 Kukui threw his arms up in mock surrender. “Sue me. Ok kiddos, let’s go on outside.”

\---

Kukui formally introduced Kahuna Hala (He more introduced himself, with a big smile and a superfluous handshake), under the clear night sky, where the town was still bustling with people and life. After a quick briefing from Kukui about what transpired earlier, Hala resounded in an ebullient laugh.

 “Ho! Look at that, would ya! Moon, Tapu Koko came out of it’s solitude for you,” His eyes gave an amused twinkle. “I’m sure of it, now,” He roughly ruffled my hair. “Hoho. Hoho! This calls for a celebration! Kukui, my boy, don’t you agree?”

Realization dawned on him and cheshire grin slowly broke on his face. “Ohoho. OHohohoh! Yeah, yeah! That’s a great idea old man, whoo!”

 I didn’t know what they were talking about. And it seemed like Lillie didn’t either, as a look of utter confusion was on her face that probably mirrored mine.

 “MOON!”

 Both Hala and Kukui yelled at the same time, startling me. _Jesus, can everyone just calm down? Please?_

 “It seems…,” The Professor trailed off in a sing-song voice.

 “That I should entrust you, brave child, with a partner Pokemon of your own!” The Kahuna finished.

 My eyes widened. The villagers whispered excitedly, jubilant smiles gracing their features. Kukui’s eyes were shining, and Lillie shone with amazement. Kukui gave a jolly punch to my shoulder. “You’re gonna make a fine trainer, oh yeah!”

 I didn’t know what to say; forgetting my pain, my grin spoke for itself. Walking to the main stage of sorts, we positioned on the middle.

 With a beam on his face,

 Hala began to speak.

 “Young trainer! Moon, of Kanto. Tapu Koko has graced you with his presence,and after your heroic actions, you deserved it. I’m sure you have the makings of a powerful trainer. So! Come, my Pokemon! Let’s have a look at you!”

 The whole village had surrounded us by now. Their eyes were trained on me.

 And in a flash of scarlet,

  
Three Pokemon appeared before me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shit im sorry for missing a week, but here's a longer chapter!!! yaayyy 
> 
> IS this going too slow? Are you guys getting bored? I dunno, i feel like it'll pick up soon,and after the introduction to everything we can really start summarizing not as important routes?? feedback on this pls
> 
> I hope you guys liked this chapter, get ready for the next one
> 
> LEave a comment on what Pokemon you think Moon should pick, and other team members.
> 
> tell me what you think so far pls


	7. Companions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> new bonds and a loud mouth kid

 A playful twinkle,

 A curious wonder,

 A sly glint,

 And an overjoyed grin of a hardly contained professor.

 Three contrasting Pokemon stared back at me, seemingly feeling as vehement emotions as I was. I was grinning like a maniac.

_ohmygodoneofthosepokemonisgonnabemybestfriendholy-_

 Kukui could barely keep his mouth shut for two seconds upon seeing my reaction- apparently excitement was a contagion to him.

 “FIRSt! T-THe Grass type Pokemon, Rowlet!”, He wildly gestured to the small, round, inquisitive-looking bird. A cheery hoot ushered from his mouth, and he padded around in a sort of twirl. His large eyes were precious. I could feel my heart melt at his utterly adorable features.

 “Next, the Fire type Pokemon, Litten!”, Hala announced. The petite, yet intimidating feline stared at me, unblinking; unrelenting. I stared back, taking his gaze as a challenge. Glaring daggers at each other, our faces were full of condescension. I heard Kukui let out a “Phht-”. As I broke out into a smile, the Pokemon let out a content purr from the back of his throat. I felt oddly accomplished.

 “Ooh! Me! Last, is the Water type Pokemon, Popplio!”, Kukui hooted out, unable to contain himself. The vibrant azure Pokemon’s features exuded joy. His charming smile made my face match his. He looked like an absolute goofball. An amusing ‘ _honk’_ issued from him. A chuckle escaped me.

 One of these Pokemon would be my companion, right? What if they don’t… like me? I mean, I like all of them… But what if they hate me? Wouldn’t one of these little guys be my lifelong partner? I would feel shitty if i regretted my decision. This wasn’t like deciding what Poke-Plush I wanted. This was a lot more. The enormity of the choice scared me.

My head snapped around as I felt something on my shoulder. Kukui. He had a knowing look in his mocha eyes, and a gentle smile on his face, lacking his usual robustness, replaced with a tender kindness. His large hand was on my shoulder.

 In a voice low enough to only be audible to me, he whispered,

 “You’ve got this one kiddo. Go with your gut.”

 No extravagant, “yeah’s!” or ancillary flamboyance. I could hear the understanding in his voice, the experiences that back up his words. He once stood where I did.

 I nodded once. The tight woven knot that was stationed in my stomach fell away.

 My gaze went over the three pokemon.

 But it went back to one.

 I stretched my hand out,

And my fingers gently ran through the ebony fur on the Pokemon’s head.

 A low purr rumbled out of his throat, and his large, amber eyes locked with mine.

 “Moon. It seems as though you have chosen Litten, the Fire Cat Pokemon. Are you sure about this?”

 The side of my mouth tugged into a satisfied smile. “Yeah. Yeah,  I’m sure.”

 “Only when you both have chosen each other can you truly call each other partners. We must see if Litten chooses you as well, young trainer.” Hala’s voice was oddly sage and formal- this whole situation was probably viewed as a big ceremony here. My heart pounded in anxiety.

 The center stage cleared off, a crowd of inhabitants surrounding it, all with big eyes and whispers. Children jumped in excitement, and their mothers hushed them gently with bright smiles.

  _“Will litten choose her?’’_

_“She looks nice enough, I hope it does.”_

_“Hmph, just another tourist”_

_“Mom, be nice.”_

_“Littens are picky. Last time a trainer chose one, it didn’t choose her back.”_

 I bit my lip. My eyes darted from side to side, trying to find her. She stood behind the crowd, secluded. Our eyes locked. She probably saw the anxiety in me.

  _Good luck_

 And a gentle smile.

 I took a deep breath, and faced the Pokemon in front of me.

 From the crowd, Hala’s voice issued.

 “So. Young trainer. Moon, from the Kanto region. Let us see if Litten deems you worthy to be his trainer.”

 I gazed at the Pokemon a he intently stared at me.

He padded forward, in slow, calculated steps.

I didn’t break eye contact.

Neither did he.

He paced in a circle around me, stopping at the front of my feet.

His noir fur stood up on end.

His head bobbed twice, with a little purr.

And the crowd exploded in cheers. Kukui let out a “WHOOP!” as Litten jumped into my arms and I held him with all my might.  _i have obtained you, my hairy child_

He made his way to the stage. “Congratulations trainer,” He said with a grin. Hala crossed his arms with a proud _hmph!_. “You can give him a nickname you know. It’ll make your bond stronger than ever, kiddo.” I raised an eyebrow and stared at my new Pokemon.

_Hmm. Litten. What should I name you?_

 I squinted in engrossment as Litten swatted my face with his little paw playfully. I snickered. My insides felt warm. You feel? Something was just. . . Right, about the whole situation. The knot of tension in my stomach was slowly unraveling.

Squeezing him to my chest, I looked decisively at Kahuna Hala. “Orion. I’m gonna call him Orion”. Orion purred upon hearing his nickname. I glanced at Lillie. “I like it. Orion. It fits him,” she said, her voice soft as she smiled at me.

 

“Oh yeah! Well well, _trainer!_ Now that everything’s official, I got you a little something, cousin.” He tossed a scarlet… _thing_ at me. It was heavier than I expected when I caught it. I looked up at the professor with curious eyes.

 

He gestured to the contraption. “That’s Alola’s Pokedex. You’ll find it really handy during your trials. Think of it like the biggest Pokemon database. Every time you encounter or catch a new Pokemon, the Pokedex records all the info about it. There’s more to it, but i’m sure you’ll figure it out as you go, eh?” My eyes lit up. I couldn’t wait to explore that thing. Even more so, I could barely contain my enthusiasm just thinking about the plethora of Pokemon I had yet to discover.

 

Lillie piped up. “Um, Moon?,” I turned my head to her. “What’s up Bl- Lillie?”

“Well, I was thinking… Why don’t you go show Orion to your mother?”

 

Something panged in my chest. It hurt, a lot.

 Maybe it was the easy goodbye. Maybe it was the lack of tears, or emotion.

 The lack of want? For me to stay? The lack of hesitation when I left?

 I don’t know.

Just… picturing her, dozing in her paradise- Not giving a flying fuck about me? Her not being in the mass of people that got to witness the start of my journey. My mother not being one of them.

 It made me confused. Frustrated. Hurt. Rejected.

 Pissed.

 My mouth went dry as my knuckles tensed and my jaw clenched. I wasn’t really sure what to say.

 “I-”

 “Ah, Lillie! Thats a great idea, oh yeah, but Moon’s ma is probably reaaal busy unpackin all those boxes, yeah. Maybe she can just send a photo later, ay.” Kukui eyed me with worry. I sighed in resignation. I was grateful for the save. I gave him a tired, but thankful look.

 Lillie’s eyes hopped back and forth between us two like she was watching a ping-pong match.

 “Oh. You must be right, professor.”

 She nervously chewed her lips, Orion purred anxiously. Kukui has a fading awkward smile on his face, and Hala completely avoided the uneasy silence by talking up a young Alolan lady near the edge of the stage. I just wanted to get out of the situation as soon as I could.

 

“So, uh, Professor K-’’

 

“HEY! KANTO CHICK! LET’S BATTLE!”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Im sorry guys. I suck. Two months for this shit. I tell ya, school, bad juju, and lack of motivation really get to a guy
> 
> -I honestly didnt like this chapter. it was too short, too dry, the writing was shit. Im sorry
> 
> -I dont like putting out stuff i dont think i did my best on. But it was either this, or another month's wait. if anyone is still waiting lmao
> 
> -I dont even know if anyone is still gonna be reading this, but if you do, thanks for bearing with me. i dont blame ya if you gave up on checking in.
> 
> -all in all. im sorry guys. ill be answering questions n shit in the comments


	8. Fire in His Eyes

 I almost flinched- I didn’t know it was possible for someone to project so much passion (so loudly) into their voice. Like, _jesus christ_ kid calm down. Lillie looked rattled to the core, her hand over her heart. I looked over at the professor, who just shook his head and chuckled.

 “Hey uh, Kukui? You know this banshee?”, I jerked my thumb in the kid’s vague direction. The professor gave a tight lipped smile, you know- the one that people give when they regret their actual answer.

 “Hey! I’m right here, ya know. I can hear you!”

 I got a good look at the kid, with my hands on my hips and an eyebrow raised. He looked like more of a hot surfer dude than Kukui. The type of guy that didn’t know the word “mean”. Sun-kissed dark skin, fluffy hair tied into a high ponytail, and a really pleasant smile. I could basically feel the positivity radiating from him.

 He had his hands stuck into his pockets, and his stood with a lax nature- contrasting his extremely ardent outburst. He strode up to the stage, stopping right in front of me.

 “You and me, trainer. Let’s battle.” He stuck a finger out, pointing to my chest. He still wore a bright smile, not a trace of haughtiness on his face.

 That was fast.

I smirked, placing a hand on my Litten. I didn't have to think about an answer

“Alright then. I guess it’s time for Orion and I to win our first battle here.”

 “HEY!,” Kahuna Hala thundered over, grumbling under his breath. “Kukui! Do you believe these kids?”, he rumbled. The professor threw his hands up in mock surrender. “Trainers these days have no concept of tradition! Or even respect! At least give a name out before throwing hands, eh?”, he grunted.

 The kid let out an airy, carefree laugh. _He has a really pretty l_ _augh_ , I noted.

 “Oh yeah! My bad, sorry Tutu,” He turned towards me, casually placing his arms behind his head. “The name’s Hau! Your Litten- Orion. He’s really cool, yeah! I’ve been lookin’ for the new girl all over town. Guess I finally found you, eh?” He stuck his hand out. I heartily shook it.

 I nodded “I’m Moon. And if you think Orion’s cool right now, you’ll be in love after we battle.” I said with a grin.

 “I’m gonna take that as a challenge, Moon.” He eagerly grabbed the Pokeball that loosely dangled from his belt.

 “Whoo! Oh yeah, your first battle already! I’ll ref!” He said, almost feverishly. One could tell how much he adored battling without even knowing who he was. Hau amusingly pointed finger guns at him with a “No need Kukui! You already know who’s gonna win!” It was obvious he was kidding, as there was no malice in his voice.

 I looked over at Lillie, noticing that she hadn’t said a word. She looked as if she was almost _shriveling_ away from the situation. On first glance, she would appear normal, but shy. But as I noticed the small things; the way her arms were crossed across her body, almost as it were a shield, her inability to make eye contact, or her slight flinches every time Hau would exclaim during his conversation with the professor- the more it became clear that Hau’s big and boisterous personality made her distance herself. She looked anxious and I could tell she felt out of place. I wanted to invite into the conversation, but I didn’t want her to be uncomfortable.

 So, while Hau and Kukui got into the very heated discussion over what mala-something flavor was better, I stuck my hands in my pockets, and I ambled over to her, trying not to come off as awkward. She was looking off at the trail we had delved into shortly before- Mahalo or whatever.

 “Blondie?” I poked my head next to her attention.

 I’d stepped on Meowth enough times to recognize that the noise she made replicated that of a cat getting stomped on. She let out a strangled yelp, which caused me to let out a little scream too. Fuckin hell, could she be any more jumpy? She steadied herself on the railing which my back rested on, her other hand fixing the walloping hat on her head.

 “Oh, . . . Moon, it’s just you. Sorry. I must’ve been daydreaming.” She breathed out.

 I flashed her a perfect diamond white smile. “It’s chill,” I mentally facepalmed. _It’s chill? What are you, some Sinnoh fuck?_

 I coughed. “Uh, I mean. It’s fine. You ok? You seem kind of. . . off, ya know?”

 She twiddled the hem of her dress, chewing her bottom lip. It was clear she was hesitant about telling me how she felt.

 “. . . I’m alright. I just get a bit too worked up in situations with. . . loud noises and such.” She pursed her lips.  _oh no she probably hates me why am i so obnoxious_

“Oh. Ok.” It was clear that she wasn’t being 100% honest. But that was alright. I barely knew her, and opening up to people must’ve been hard for her. I was very familiar with that feeling. I knew better to pry- people being nosy was my pet peeve. The breeze ruffled our hair. Looking at her long, platinum locks, I noted that I really needed to shower. And sleep. Fuck. That sounded so good.

 “MOON! Don’t you dare think that i’ve forgotten about our battle!” Lillie winced. He advanced over, with a wide smile on his face. “It’s gonna be a no-holds-barred battle, oh yeah!”

 Hau’s eyes wandered to Lillie. His face grew softer, and his grin turned into a gentle smile with kind eyes. “I’m Hau. It’s nice to meet you.” I saw the apprehension from her face gradually disappear. “Hello Hau, I- my name is Lillie. It’s nice to meet you too.”

 I watched the scene with somewhat of glower that had settled on my face, for some reason.

 I thought I saw Hau smirk from the corner of his eye. But when I looked up at him, he just had that joyful expression on his face. He turned towards his grandfather. “TUTU! The battle’s about to begin!”

 I cracked my knuckles. “You ready, surfer boy?” I said with a snigger. He snorted. “Only if you are, city girl.”

 “Oi! No bad mouthing kids. Let’s keep it civil, eh, kiddos?”, chuckled Kukui, earning a hearty agreement from Hala, and a “she started it!” from Hau.

 Hau and I took our places on opposing sides, while Kukui and Hala positioned themselves to the side to ref. Lillie stood at the corner of the stage, behind me. As she walked past me, and the smell of lillies and . . . vanilla?- wafted to my nose, a soft, “I’m rooting for you, Moon.” reached my ears. The corners of my mouth tugged a little.

 My heart was pounding in anticipation; the good kind - the kind you feel when you’re about to run a race that you know you’re going to win.

 Hau, never breaking his expression, stretched his arms. “This is gonna be a piece of cake! Get ready to lose, Moon!” I let out a _hmph!_

 “Hau,” Kukui said in a stern voice. “Alright trainers, Hau and Moon. Let the battle commence, oh yeah!”

 In sync, Hau and I whipped out our partners.

 “Orion!”

“Let’s go, Thea!”

 In a flash of red, Orion appeared, looking ready to pounce on his opponent. I admired his spirit. Across from us, Hau let out his Rowlet, Thea. She was cute as a button. (Not as cute as Orion, but respectable)

 I had scrutinized the Pokedex earlier, and learned Orion’s moveset. If I recalled correctly, Rowlet was a primary grass type, with a secondary type of flying. It was also a slower Pokemon. So, if Orion used his STAB fire type attack, and outsped Thea, the battle would probably be over in nearly two hits. I worked that out rather quickly.

 “Thea! Use Peck!” Thea flew about 5 inches off the ground, and glided towards Orion.

 Too slow. “Pounce on her and use scratch, Orion.” I yelled. Even before I had finished the sentence, Orion was already speeding to Thea.  _Ayyy fuck it up bb_

Orion pounced on the Rowlet, and slashed his claws down.

One hit from his STAB move finish the job.

 “Thea! Use Leafa-”

 “Orion! Use Ember while she’s down.” I shouted. His hairs stood on end as he shot out a small fireball in point blank range onto Thea’s poor face. 

 Done. Hau let out a disappointed “Ah…” and Orion padded over to my feet. As Hau returned Thea to her Pokeball, I bent down and scratched my Pokemon behind the ears. “You did great, bud. Get some rest.” I returned him to the confines of his Pokeball.

 I looked up to see Hau with his signature beam on his face. “Damn, Moon. You got me all covered in chicken skin, whoo!” He helped me up, but kept our hands locked. I smiled. “Next time it won’t be that short. That’s a promise, Moon.” I could hear the fire in his voice.

  _I think I just made a friend. Also,the fuck is chicken skin?_

 “Thea’s really cute. Let me see her a little longer next time then, eh?” I jested, kindness in my voice. He stuck his tongue out playfully. Everyone gathered around.

 Kukui grinned. “That was some sick battling. Hau, you were on fire! I could feel your vibes! You’re definitely gonna be something big, kiddo. Moon,” He turned to me. “You were so chill up there! Keeping a level head and calculating is a valuable asset to a trainer. You both did stellar.”

 Hau and I smiled proudly and fist-bumped. Kahuna Hala piped up. “You know kids- you could always battle again tomorrow at the festival.’’ My eyes shot to Hau, a devilish grin gracing my features. “I’m down if you are.” He echoed a passionate agreement. “Well then, it’s settled. We battle tomorrow. And I won’t lose again.” We shook on it, and I agreed that I would go all out.

 I was about to turn to Lillie, ready to be showered in praise, but Hala stopped me. “Moon… Would you mind letting me look at the stone I was told about? The one that Tapu Koko ga- dropped?” I raised an eyebrow, but dug it out of my pack. “Sure, no problem.” As I handed it over, I saw his eyebrows shoot up for a moment. Hau let out a small gasp. “Hmph. So… He looked up from the stone, and looked at me up and down. Fret not, young trainer, I will give back the stone by tomorrow evening. Thank you for letting me borrow it.” I nodded, and though I was confused on why this old dude wanted a fuckin' rock, I knew better than to question the wise sumo wrestler of the village.

 “Hey Moon, Lillie! I think we should be on our way home, eh? We wouldn’t want to lose you guys and Cosmog over there twice, haha.” Kukui said, his voice light-hearted.

 “Oh! Yes, I’ll have to keep a closer eye on- Huh?” As Lillie checked her bag, it was empty. I saw the worry flare in her face. Did Cosmog run away?

 I felt something behind me, and I whipped around- only to find Nebby with an impish face.

 Blondie let out an exasperated huff. “Oh, Nebby, must you wander off every minute!”

 Hau let out a snicker, which in turn let me to guffaw. Soon, the whole group was laughing- the silent type of laugh, where all you can do is grab your stomach and sound like you’re choking- even Hala. It wasn't even that funny. Barely funny at all. But still. Maybe we were all just deliriously tired. Or, maybe that was just me.

 It was the first thing that had felt right in a while. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -Tutu= Grandfather ::))
> 
> -Moons a melting pot of angst, sass, and sadness
> 
> -In the game, Hau's character was just a really happy dude- I decided to spice him up a little, add some depth. He's gonna have a really interesting backstory and im really excited for what i'm gonna do with him (hes gonna suffer)- anyway i thought id make him a little more playful and competitive, but not lose any of his original personality. 
> 
> -What do you guys think of Lillies character so far? I'm gonna go really in depth with her personality and all the aspects that make her up. 
> 
> \- I realized that I was pushing the Moonlillie too much at the beginning. so just be patient. this shit is real slowburn. What moon is going through right now is thinking a chick is cute, not love. 
> 
> -THIS SHIT WILL HAVE LIKE 5000 fuckinG CHAPTErs jfc
> 
> \- So I went in detail about this battle, just because it was the first one, and i wanted to introduce Moon's battle style. Not all battles will be described.
> 
> -IM STILL IN LIKE THE FIRST 10 MINS OF THE GAME AHGH
> 
> Comment thy thoughts please, i love comments


	9. Black Silence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> recollections that didn't want to be recollected

 My eyelids were getting heavy. I wanted nothing more but dinner and my bed, even if it was stiff and uncomfortable. The numerous events that had occurred on that day were a lot to process, and did a number on my energy. I was drained. It was hard to focus on what anyone was saying, on my surroundings. Everything felt hazy, and all I could concentrate on was how much everything ached. There's only so much a fragile little lady like me can take.

 Hau seemed to be teeming with energy, even with it being past midnight. The villagers had mostly gone to sleep, and the town had a lax and breezy energy, in contrast to the restlessness that it brought in the daytime. I loved the atmosphere, and had it been in any other circumstances, I would be laying down and looking at constellations, enjoying the solitude of moment.

 When Kukui said that it was time to leave, I was ecstatic. But, of course, after Cosmog liberated itself from the confines of Blondie’s bag, Hau’s interest was immediately piqued. He let out a ceaseless flow of questions, which resulted in a detailed and far more dramatic (which the event had already been) recount of the bridge incident, this time involving me fighting the spearow with my bare hands. Kukui was getting more creative as the story progressed. I tried my part in throwing in details here and there, but I felt like my legs were about to collapse and my breathing was getting shallow. I also realized that I had not eaten anything since 7:00. The situation was really, really miserable.

  But where was I going to go? My house? I pictured the situation. I’d walk in, and Mother would either be asleep or watching soaps. She’s be surprised- “Back already? That was a quick adventure!” She’d laugh that laugh, but this time, I wouldn’t. She wouldn’t ask to see my Pokemon. Of course, if I brought it up, she immediately say “Of course sweetie!” But she wouldn’t ask. She’d comment on my clothes, but not ask why I changed, or why I looked like I had been run over. She’d say that she was going to turn in early, because she has a big day of cleaning tomorrow, but she wouldn’t ask why I have bandages over my arms.

 While envisioning it, I realized it was increasingly becoming more difficult to breathe. Black spots danced in front of my eyes.

  _You’re overreacting, Moon. So what, she didn’t see you off as well as she should’ve. So what, she didn’t seem to care that you were leaving her? She’s still your mother, and you still love her. She’s done so much for you. You still love her, dumbass._

  _Right?_

_\---_

I was seven. Mom had told me to go to bed extra early. The bags under her eyes seemed darker.

After papa came home from the league, things had been perfect. Mom was happy again. She finally got to see her love. I was happy too. Before he came home, all I had to remember him by were the dusty pictures that Mom would longingly stare at through the nights when she was home.  I never knew that the smile I saw lacked the warmth it once had.

 But she did. Mom knew. She knew that there was something off. When he’d go out with his friends with a hearty promise of not staying out too late- only to come home the next day with an insincere apology. An insincere apology that Mom readily accepted. When he wouldn’t take me to the park, like the other kids dads’ did. When he would be next to Mom in bed, and rather than sleep, he’d scroll through his unfinished Pokedex. Of course, I saw a picturesque family. Mom, Dad, Moon. He was here, and that’s all that mattered. I didn’t mind when he wouldn’t eat dinner with us, or drive me to school, or never come to parent-teacher conferences. Dad was here, and that meant our family was complete.

 But then, it got worse.

 I didn’t understand. At all.

 Why Mom would cry at the dinner table, alone.

 

Why Dad would sleep on the couch.

 

Why he always smelled of sickly sweet chemical.

 

Why i’d hear yelling, or even worse, low, harsh whispers when I was supposed to be asleep.

 

Why the months seemed to go by so _so_ slowly.

 

Why Dad always frowned when he saw me.

 

Why Mom would burst into tears when she saw me.

 

Why did Mom look so fucking exhausted when she didn’t work.

 

Why she wouldn’t answer me that night.

 Her fingers trembled as she tucked my hair behind my ear. It was cold. Her smile didn’t reach her eyes. There was no warmth in her eyes. No tears, no joy. Just blank.

 “Mom? Where’s Dad? Why did the door slam? Where-”

 She didn’t look at me. Her face was dark. She muttered something.

 “Mom?”

 

“Shut up. Please.”

 

I flinched. She’d never spoken to me like that. I was . . . Scared.

 Her fists were clenched. My heart dropped at what she said next.

 “Why me?”

 “...Mommy?” I didn’t know what was happening. I just didn’t understand.

 “This isn’t my fault. It’s not my fault. It's. . . yours. It's yours.”

 

“What? Mommy, you’re scaring me.”

 

Her hand twitched. I don’t know why I jolted back. She’d never do that.

 I tried again.

 “Momma?”

 

“Just”

“Shut up.”

“please.”

 

Her voice was so cold. So fucking cold. She got up, eyes downcast. I closed my eyes. Whatever this was- I just wanted it to be over. I bit my lip as I heard the door slam shut.

 

That night, I didn’t sleep. The sound of objects crashing and hysterical sobs didn’t allow me to. So, instead, I clasped my hand over my mouth, keeping my hiccups quiet as I huddled in the corner. Cold. And, the next day,

 he was gone.

 

Mom slept in. I cleaned up the aftermath. We didn’t speak about that night. It was a tacit agreement. I had no complaints. I never wanted to see that- experience that, again. Mom kept her smile. The smile I had to return, not because it was full of joy. But because it was devoid of it. Yet she still managed to wear it. That’s why. Why I always smiled back. That’s why I said yes to leaving. She deserved that much. My mind relaxed, my thoughts in a unison of agreement- for once.

  _I should go back to her,_ I decided.

 But first,I probably had to wake up.

\---

The first thing I noticed was that my feet weren’t on the ground. Second thing I noticed, was that I was resting on someone’s back. Third thing I noticed, was that I didn’t know what the fuck was going on.

 “What the-” I flailed around, shoving myself off of the person, in the process, falling down on the pavement, my head knocking into the floor.

 “Ow, fuckin' hell,” I grumbled, rubbing my aching head.

 “Hey now kiddo, be careful,” said an amused voice. I looked up to see Professor Kukui, his arm outstretched. Next to him was Lillie, her slight eyebrows draw into a worried frown.

 I muttered, grabbing hold of his hand, letting him hoist me up. I brushed off my clothes, probably looking more disheveled than usual. “What. . . What the heck happened?”

Kukui crossed his arms, looking concerned. “Too much, I’d say. We should’ve realized you were tired before making you battle Hau. Yeah. Just, try to take it easy, champ. You blacked out. You’ve got no food in your system, I’m gettin’ starved just looking at ya. You need to rest up. We’re takin’ ya home.”

I smiled at the Professor. His consideration was endearing.

 “Thanks for looking out for me.” He didn’t say anything in response. He didn’t need to. His casual smile and small wink was all I needed to feel reassured that he’d be there for me. I turned to Lillie. “What about you, Blondie? You live around here?” She let out a comforted sigh, probably relieved that I could maintain my usual banter and teasing. “I suppose you could say that. Professor Kukui has been kind enough to let me reside in his house, as I don’t have on of my own.”

 “Ah, gotcha,” her statement brought another wave of questions into my mind, however, I didn’t seem to have enough energy to inquire at the time. Though, I made an effort to remember them, as Blondie’s story was. . . interesting, at the least. I looked down the path, seeing the familiar outline of my house. Rather than dread filling my bones, resolve took it’s place.

  _C'mon tough guy. Set things right. Tie the loose ends._

I smiled at the two, trying my best to replicate my usual smirk. “I can take it from here,” I heard the beginnings of protest issue from both of their mouths, causing me to quickly hush them, “C'mon, c’mon. It’s like, 15 feet away. I can handle this. Thank you guys.” Kukui ruffled my hair. “G’night cuz. Get a good rest, yeah! Your adventure hasn’t even begun yet!” He turned to Lillie, ready to leave. My eyes met her’s.

 “I- uh”

 

“I- erm”

 We both began at the same time.She shook her head, a rosy tint gracing her features, probably matching the redness of my face.She still looked radiant.

  _Fuck, shit, agh_

 She stuck her hand out, eyes downcast. “Tomorrow! Oh, um- That is-. I’ll see you tomorrow, Moon.” My name sounded perfect coming out of her mou- _STop  goddammit._

 I grinned. “Yeah, see you, Lillie.”, shaking her hand, she giggled as I formed a little fist with her hand, bumping it with my own and making an animated  _pwoosh_ sound. They turned away, making their way to the lab. I made my way to my house.

 The nighttime breeze blew my tousled hair.The critters of the night provided ambiance, and the stars were picturesque. And suddenly, there I was. 

 My hand trembled only for a moment. My hand turned the doorknob, a creak meeting my ears.

 “I’m home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ha  
> HHA  
> guess who decided to update aster 10000000 years  
> im sorry  
> I dont know how to feel with this chapter?  
> We're not fucking advancing in the story of the game lmao  
> however, i blessed u with some gnarly character back story, and important real life scenarios and details that are necessary to make a character fleshed out.  
> have fun  
> ill be gone for another 600000 years now  
> my bad.  
> but also its SUMMER which means hopefully more updates???  
> Please leave comments, your thoughts, opinions, and feedback mean the world to me <3


	10. Faint Scars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> moon has some scars

 The moment I stepped in, I fucking _felt_ it.

 Every intestine in my body, every pink, mushy damn intestine that physically _tightened._ I could almost hear them crying out in pain. I wanted to as well. And I could tell she felt the same way.

 Because the moment our eyes met, my tired brown ones, her glazed hazel ones, it was as if our hearts fell to the pits of our stomach in complete synchronization. Both our eyes were wide. In shock? In fear? Probably both.

 Voices sang in my head.

  _She cares! Moon, Moon! She cares! You’re not hated! She loves you!_

 

And the rest of my mind yelled at me. Screamed at me. Tore at me.

 

_You piece of shit! You’re a fucking horrible person Moon! Moon, oh, fuck , Moon. You should hate yourself! She shouldn’t love you!_

 Because, fuck, when I turned that doorknob, I didn’t expect to see her, calloused hands knotted in her hair, sobs wracking her body, dry gasps of air leaving her torn throat, her heavy tears falling onto the picture, the picture I didn’t even have to fucking look at to recognize.

 The cracked, fractured photograph of her perfect family. Her perfect family that unraveled, no matter how much she tried to string us together. Her family that was ripped at the seams.

 Her red, swollen eyes shot, sniped, KO’ed through me. “Mom?” I croaked. “ Shit-Mom, mom. Mom.” I stepped closer, and closer, and closer.

 I was a foot from the table, when she threw herself at me, her strong, but, so weak arms engulfing me. I let out a strangled gasp, the one that’s a cross between a sob with no tears, a cough, and a choke. The one that hurts your whole body, the one that stabs your gut like there’s a bone that got misplaced and is messing up your insides. I stumbled backwards, hugging her as tightly as my bandaged arms allowed me to, her jutting spine digging into my forearms, feeling her constant warmth, noting that I was taller than her.

 “Moon, Moon, oh my god, moon, I’m so sorry, I couldn’t- Oh, Moon, what’s happened to you? Sweetie, I- I-,” she sputtered, like there wasn’t enough time in the world to say what she wanted to.

 “No, no, Mom, hey- please don’t- damn it- don’t apologize, I- I’m here now, i’m here. I’m okay,” I told the truth, but I lied, and I wasn’t sure which was which, but at that moment, it didn’t matter.  We slowly sank to the floor, my knees aching at the pressure. She sobbed into my shoulder that once could not bear the burden, and still could not, but her tears, shaking her whole body, told me that I had to, because the burden was simply too much for one person to carry. I felt her sorrow, her plights, and I understood. It was my turn. To be strong, to be present. I was going, going, already gone but not like this, not with the last thing in the air being resentment.

 “Hey- Mom. Mom? I love you. Mom, it’s okay. I’m gonna be leaving, ok. For a while. But I won’t leave forever. I’ll come back to you. I promise. I swear, i swear. I’ll make you proud. I promise”

 I said the words “promise” and “ swear” a lot. I think I was trying to convince myself as much as her.

 “Oh baby. I’m already proud of you. Y-you’re gonna be careful okay? You’re gonna be safe. You’re not gonna get hurt,” her watery eyes lingered at the white gauze around me, “You’ll come back? You’ll come back. You’ll come back.”

 

(I think she was doing the same as me.)

 

“I will. I will, Mom. I’ll come back,” I whispered into her hair, rubbing her back. We sat there for quite a while. Too long of a while. Her breathing slowed, and her hiccuping ceased. She had fallen asleep. I looked down at her damp eyes, puffy and dark underneath, her face at peace.

 “Lucky ass.” I muttered. Gently, with a grunt, I lifted her up with surprising ease. A bit of myself felt proud of my strength, the other parts yelled, green with envy, because I should’ve been the one sleeping. I hobbled over to her room, setting her down on her bed, as she let out a mutter. There were tear tracks on her face. Sleeping, her face looked relaxed, free of worry.

 I stood over her, running a hand through my hair, watching her breathe, in and out. I tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear.

 Then, all at once, the exhaustion of the whole day hit me. Hit me hard. Like a fucking train. I almost fell onto her bed, my hands narrowly catching the frame as I stumbled forward. My breathing was heavy, everything was hot. It was like my bones had simply given up, like they were encased in syrup and refused to move. With every muscle, shit, every part of my body screaming in protest, I barely managed to hobble to my couch that I was seeing two of.. I basically fell on top of it.

 And before my face even touched the cold leather, oblivion struck me.

 

(Finally.)

\---

 “MOON!”

 I jolted up, my surroundings blurry and unfocused, as the arm that was propping me up slid off of the mocha leather of my couch. With a sharp yelp, heart racing from the unexpected and somewhat, scratch that, _extremely_ crude awakening, I thumped to the ground.

 “I’ve been saying your name for five minutes, sweetheart. I thought you slipped into a coma!”

 Processing what she said, I gathered myself, looking up at her rather incredulously.

 Seeing my expression, she chuckled. “Moon, are you alright?”

 My face became even more baffled. “Wha-fu-n- No. No!” I paused, trying to control my early morning sputtering while trying to voice my distress at the same time. “You scared the shit out of me!” She bent over to ruffle my hair, and gently pulled me up.

 Mom smiled softly. “C’mon Moon, go take a shower. I’m gonna make us some _amazing_ breakfast.” She emphasized ‘amazing’ as she walked away, turning her head to give me a little wink. I cracked my joints and headed for my bathroom. I probably smelled like straight ass. As I turned the door, my mother’s voice spoke.

 “And over our amazing breakfast,” her positive tone suddenly turned threatening. She threw a narrow, pointed look at me, “We can discuss. . .”, her eyes scanned over my bandages and scrapes and a delicate finger vaguely gestured to me, " _those_ ”.

  _Yikes._

 I let out a nervous laugh and ducked into the bathroom before her gaze seared holes in me. I gulped. Mom would not be happy to see my cuts and wounds. _I’ll just sugar coat it_ , I thought. She didn’t need to know the details.

 I took out fresh bandages for when I got out of the shower and hopped out of my once-snazzy ensemble, scoring it in the laundry basket, my nose wrinkling at the scent. Ash, sweat, blood, and a light hint of flowers. How charming. I dumped out the contents of my backpack, rummaging through my disorganized mess, and pulling out a new, well coordinated outfit- if I did say so myself.

 The water was so hot that it hurt, turning my skin various shades of salmon and red. I winced as soapy bubbles ran over my injuries, but I had to get clean. I scrubbed off the congealed blood that had sealed itself over the backs of my arms, tinting the water vaguely pink. The cuts, while many, weren’t deep and some had already scabbed over. I thought about how gnarly the scars would look. The childish part of me thought they’d look cool.

 I looked down at my leg, running my finger over the ghostly white scarring I had gotten from a flamethrower when I was younger. Some kid’s charmander had poor eyesight, and his aim was pretty shit. I wasn’t mad though. The scar was lighter than the rest of my skin, all textured and raised. I didn’t mind it. I’d always make up an exaggerated dramatic story every time someone asked. Mafia, sharpedo attack, aliens, cryptids, whatever came to my mind. The new ones would just be another opportunity.

 I squeezed about five different fluorescent colored products into my hair, blow dried, straightened- it had to look impeccable, it just had to, it really did,  and made sure my face looked, you know, decent. Good eyebrows and all. I pulled on some dark [denim shorts](https://www.forever21.com/us/shop/Catalog/Product/f21/bottoms_shorts/2000262685) that started real high at my waist, a soft red cropped [shirt](https://www.forever21.com/us/shop/Catalog/Product/F21/top_blouses/2000188100/01?mrkgcl=1207&mrkgadid=3277267026&rkg_id=0&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=WP%2520-%2520Shopping%2520-%2520Non-Brand&utm_term=297813312231_product_type_tops_product_type_item_id&utm_content=\(not_set\)&adpos=1o1&creative=103307088078&device=c&matchtype=&network=g&gclid=Cj0KCQiAoY7VBRDtARIsAHWoO-JQWuwTnrk8FIBXaiaZNfHASF0nAJaqpPd85eSJJ7tj1dv5_BXtIyMaAlw9EALw_wcB), and my [red converse](https://store.nike.com/us/en_us/pd/converse-chuck-taylor-all-star-low-top-unisex-shoe/pid-11214181/pgid-11593147). I checked out my reflection in the mirror, pointing finger guns at myself as some sort of cry for help thinly veiled by fake confidence. “Lookin good, Moony.”

 I stepped out, the smell of bacon, eggs and french toasted kamikazing into my face. I realized how fucking hungry I was and it took every bit of my almost non existent self control not do dive into the stack of food that was on the table.

 “Mom, you’re gonna kill me.” She laughed, a “don’t be silly, dear” coming out of her mouth. I grabbed her by the shoulders, looking dead in her eyes. “M o M. I’m serious. I’m gonna eat every damn thing I see. You’re gonna give me a heart attack with all this food.”

 “Go crazy, sweet heart.” And so I did. I ate enough for all of Kanto. I felt my soul ascending. It was a holy experience. Mom just _had_ to ruin the whole thing by going, “So about those wounds, Moon. Start talking.” I avoided eye contact. I felt her gaze get sharper. Sighing, I played with the non existent food on my plate, glancing up to meet her eyes with a resigned look. “There’s no getting outta this one, huh.”

 And so, I told her the tale. Censored, of course. I left out the unimportant bits. Well, the bits she didn’t need to know. . . Okay, fine. I may or may not have neglected to mention the whole bridge collapsing and a legendary pokemon saving my ass. But it’d be _fineee!_

 She didn’t say anything. Her hands were laced and I felt a lecture coming. Fuck, what if she didn’t let me go? She opened her mouth to speak. I winced.

 “So…., let me see this starter of yours.” My mouth drew into a comical “o”. I gulped, releasing Orion. He padded over to my mother, who was looking at him with inquisitive eyes. He gave her a delicate sniff and purred in what seemed to be approval, curling up next to her chair. She bent down and gave him a little scratch behind the ears. I was delighted. Did this mean no lecture? Score!

 “Moon,” _Ah fuck_. I celebrated too soon. She looked at me with eyes all serious, “You could’ve gotten really hurt. You _are_ really hurt!” She sighed. “You got attacked by wild Pokemon, saved another Pokemon’s life, in a place you had no business being, when the Professor had given you a separate task. . .for a stranger?”

 I looked through the files cabinets of my mind for a response that would get me into the least amount of trouble. Maybe I should just start crying, thought. Nah, she’d know i’m faking. Options A all the way to F seemed like bad ideas. I chose at random. E it is.

 I scratched the back of my neck, looking at her sheepishly. “It sounds a lot worse when you phrase it like that.” She cocked an eyebrow up. Fuck. I messed up. Shitshitshitshit.

 “Oh? How would you phrase it?”

  _Alright Moon. It’s make it or break it. The time has come. Good luck, and_ **_dont_ ** _fuck it up._

 “I saw someone in trouble, and she needed help. I was the only one there, and like you’ve always said, helping people is the right thing to do.”

  _The execution was flawless, cheers all around. A rose flew from the crowd, I bowed, “Thank you, than-”_

 Mother snorted. “Yeah okay, Moon. Heroics or not, you put yourself in a dangerous situation without thinking.” She eyed my guilty face wearily.

 “Moon. I’m not trying to ruin your life. I’m just. . . worried”

I bit my lip, waiting for her to continue.

“...And I’m proud of you. What you did was really brave. I’m glad my daughter has a pure heart.”

 Oh. That was unexpected. A rush of red went into my cheeks. “O-oh. Thanks mom, really.” She pursed her lips, reaching across the table to grasp my cold hands in her warm ones.

 “Just promise me you’ll be more careful.” Her eyes bore into my skull.

 “I promi-”

 Just then, the door swung open. Meowth hissed, my mother shrieked, and I simply fell to the floor. Which, for some reason, was becoming a frustratingly common occurrence.

 “OI, MOON.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> alrighhhht new chapter folks  
> so no progress is made  
> or is there???? ooooOOOhh  
> i felt like this shit was really important, and have some more Moon characterization! YAya!  
> so i edited a lot of the older chapters and added/ removed a lotttt. highly recommend you skim through those guys again.  
> if anything doesnt make sense its probably because i edited the old chapters. just comment if youre confused and ill help ya out.  
> i think that this is the best written chapter so far :)))  
> PLEASE LEAVE COMMENTS FOR REAL THEY MAKE MY LIFE.  
> enjoy! next time we'll actually pick up some Plot! and get fucking going.  
> again  
> leave a c o m m entt


	11. Burgundy Red

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> moon attracts reasons to smile

Etiquette, it seemed, was not the Professor’s strongest asset. Though, I suppose  his charm made up for it.

 He strode in, as per usual, his entrance flamboyant as ever, bringing in the smell of coffee and fresh dirt, the vague air of excitement naturally coming in as well. He swiveled one of the maple chairs around, plopping down, arms resting on the back rest of the seat, a purposefully bored look on his face; though it was blatant that he wanted to spit out whatever it was on his mind as much as I wanted him to. Mom cleared her throat, patting down her dress to seem like she hadn’t just gotten the hell scared out of her. I didn’t attempt to. Kukui, with a big shit eating grin, plucked a strip of bacon from the table, only asking if he could eat it after he had chomped  a big piece off.

 “Right, so. Sorry for barging in again, ladies. Old habits die hard, right? Haha, I came here to tell you that the festival is gonna start at sundown. I figured I should give ya a heads up!” The noisy smacks in between words really added to the whole effect.

  stood up, trying to looking interested. Iki was great and all, but I needed to get going. The anticipation of an adventure had been building up, but staying put for far too long was really cock blocking the whole fun of it. “Uh huh. What about Lillie? And Hau? Are they gonna be there?”

 “Yeah yeah. They’ll be there, kiddo. Speaking of which- Hau’s gonna wanna rematch. I was thinkin’ you should catch some other Pokemon, eh? Fill up your team a lil’.”

 Now _that_ was more like it. The grin on my face didn’t convey how excited that sentence made me. Catching Pokemon? Battling?Ohhhhh buddy, oh man. Just hearing his words made my head snap up. Hell yeah. Hau was gonna eat shit.

 I felt giddy, the need to get out and do my thing stronger than ever. New Pokemon. Battling. It had been so long, so long since that feeling. Getting stronger, winning, winning, success. Beating others, meeting new people. Seeing new perspectives, yelling my throat raw, the pride flooding through me as my opponent handed me my cash. Satisfaction at seeing my earnings on the table, giving it to my mother, even if I had gotten it by making a schoolgirl cry from a battle. It didn’t matter.

 But now, something was different. Excitement buzzed through me, like some sort of high. I wanted to get out there, because the reason wasn’t the cash anymore. I wasn’t battling to get food on the table. This was going to be much more fun. Battling for the sole purpose of getting stronger, climbing higher, becoming powerful. What I had always wanted to battle for.

 “Ay, Moon. You listening? You got plenty a’ time to go out and catch some Pokemon, the festival’s at around 7. Now, i’m gonna head out with ya and-”

 “Where?”

 “What’s that, kiddo?”

 “The Pokemon. Where are the strongest one’s I can catch? Where can I go train?”

I was getting impatient. I hadn’t realized I was straying away from the table, my eyes on the door, my backpack picked up off the floor from the night before, halfway slung across my arm. I turned to face the pair of adults, their faces a mix of confusion and hesitance. The wooden floor under my converse seemed unnatural. _Lemme outta here, dammit!_

 “... Well, I’ll show ya! I know you know how to catch em’ but I’m sure you’ll need a refresher-”

 I swung around to fully face him, even though every inch was me was itching, scratching to bolt out the door. “Ah, professor, I really am fine on my own. Just tell me the best spot where I can train, I’ll uh be sure to meet you at the festival.” I grinned, as he let out an amused sigh.

 “Guess there’s no stoppin’ you, huh? Alright kid. Just be careful, okay?”

 I look over to my Mom.

 She rose slowly, hesitation pulling her down. Tentatively, she strode over, a tired smile on her face, giving me a small hug. Her eyes seemed sad, but it was what it was. Her mouth turned at the corners as she ruffled my hair. “You’re going to go far, Moon. I’m proud of you. I love you.”

 I scratched the back of my head. “Ah, don’t be so sappy. I’ll see you soon Mom. I will,” a sheepish smile on my face.

 “Oi, kiddo. Take these, you’re gonna need em’”. Kukui tossed me a potion and some pokeballs. I stuffed them in my backpack.

 Running my fingers through my hair, I let out out a satisfied huff, smelling the remnant fragrances of bacon and butter. I faced them. “Thanks guys. I love you, mom. See you.”

 I turned around and stepped out.

\---

 Kukui turned to her, a lazy smile on his face, leaning on the walls of the kitchen. The door had shut with a bang, as her daughter ran into the world, the world without her.

 “She’s stronger than you think, y’know,” he spoke quietly, but the words were still loud, somehow.

 Under the table, her hands gripped her dress. She was alone. Again. First him, now her. The worst part was that she knew Moon wouldn’t try to stay in touch. She would forget, worried about the things she valued more, trying to grow stronger.

 How long would it take? A month? A year? What was it going to surmount to? She was a child, a rookie. She was going to be eaten alive, not nearly ready to be a champion; the idea was almost laughable.

 She imagined her daughter, coming back in a month, heartbroken, disappointed. She knew Kukui was right, Moon was strong. But deep down, she knew that would be the outcome. She should’ve stayed. Why didn’t she stay?

 She sighed, resting her forehead on the cool table surface. “I’m sure you’re right.”

 She changed her mind.

 The worst part wasn’t that her daughter wouldn’t stay in touch.

 It was that she wasn’t enough to convince them to stay.

\---

 There was a new shred of gossip traveling amongst the residents of Iki Town.

 One of an enthusiastic pyromaniac teen that was asking every individual in sight for a fight, calling them “lame- o’s”, “buttmunchers”, or other colorful phrases when they insisted they weren’t trainers, or cackling and exclaiming that they were “gonna see their creator” when they accepted her challenge.

 It was me, I was the teen.

 My pokedex began filling with unfamiliar names, new faces. Every new encounter would make more adrenaline rush through me, pure joy emanating off me as I read the entries that came in my pokedex with each battle. My pokeballs were almost out; I wouldn’t give up catching  new pokemon. The humid Alolan air surrounded me, the sun beating down relentlessly, the sound of distant ocean waves, various bugs and chatter reaching my ears, the fragrance of flowers tickling my nose. I leaned under the nearest tree, it’s broad leaves cooling me with shade. It had been a while since I set out, and I had made good progress, still time until I had to be in Iki town for the festival. Orion had gained levels and was getting more comfortable with me. I grinned, leaning down and scratching his ears, earning me a satisfied purr before his ear twitched and he became alert. I looked up from the ground, still kneeling.

 A girl pointed down at me. “You. Battle me. You beat my little brother earlier, and my friends say that you’re tough. I’ll bet that you aren’t, tourist.”

 I stood up, brushing my knees off. My back popped. Why the fuck was my body like an old man’s?

 I grinned, sticking my hand out. “Well, hello to you too. My name’s Moon. And yours? You look like a Vanessa. Is it Vanessa?”

 She scoffed, looking away from me, like she was asking an audience “ _can you believe this bitch?_ ” She crossed her arms, her mouth set in a frown. “Are you going to battle me or not.” She really didn’t phrase it like a question.

 “Ok, ok, geez, sorry for being nice.” I said with a chuckle.I looked down, Orion looking like he was gonna Ember this chick. I laughed. “Ready?”

 She put on an uppity face, all nose up and cocky smile as she released a Wingull, and barely gave me a second to react before yelling, “Use Watergun!” Orion luckily dodged with hiss.

 It was close, but after a few minutes, Orion had the poor bird pinned by its wings on the ground. Fuckin’ ruthless man.  Her frown was genuine, not an act of superiority now.

I returned Orion and walked over.

 “Yeah. I get it, okay? Sorry, or whatever. Take the damn cash.” Her eyes were on the ground, and her white adidas kicked a rock. Her arm was robotically out, her hand pinching crisp bills.

 I leaned down, hands behind my back, making eye contact with her, her eyebrows furrowing and eyes widening even more. “Keep it, Vanessa. A smile would be pretty nice though, you know.”

 Her arm dropped, and she tilted her head. “It’s Madison.” She sounded confused. I closed one eye and made a lens with my fingers around her. “Yeah, I could see that. It’s the eyes, I think.”

 She covered her mouth and giggled, making me grin. She looked me in the eyes for a second, her face rosy, before grabbing my hand, pulling a pen out from her backpack. She tucked a loose strand of back hair behind her ear and talked fast, like she was afraid of me pulling away. “You’re funny, Moon. And pretty strong. So. um.  Uh- yeah.” My eyebrows were raised as she dropped my hand. Her face was getting red as I began to laugh, and she stood there, as though she had just realized she had written down her number on the hand of the new girl in town.

 Her hands went to her increasingly warming face, and she let out a breathless “oh fuck”. I had never seen someone turn away so abruptly. She began to speed walk away with a “I’ll see you later! Maybe!” squeaking out of her mouth as her form became smaller and smaller.

 “Yeah. See you.” I realized she was out of eye shot and I was talking to myself. I looked down at my hand, and after a good while of owlishly staring at it, I subconsciously pulled my phone out, mechanically pushing in the numbers in my contact list. I shook my head, snapping out of the mildly surreal happiness that had pooled in my head. The corners of my mouth pulled into a small smile as I typed in her name.

 

**Madison: Otherwise Known as Vanessa**

 

My eyes flicked farther up the screen. It was about to be time for the festival, and looking up, the sky had turned a deep pink, streaks of lavender farther away from the red sun.

 I jogged to Iki  and most trainers had gone home, or to the festival, so the path was one of ease. I took my time. I wouldn’t get tired of my scenic surroundings anytime soon. The grass brushed against my ankles, my skin was warm, and the pleasant breeze ruffled my hair. I came to the stairs that were at the entrance to the town. The smell of barbeque and burning wood wafted to me. Drum heavy music resounded through air, mixing with the laughter of the people. Kids ran around playing tag and old couples danced together. I scanned my eyes for a familiar face.

 A heavy hand clapped my back. Looking over my shoulder, I saw Hau. “Moon! Howzit? You look like you’re glowing!” He had a big, toothy smile on. If anything, he was glowing. He wore a [yellow shirt](https://www.urbanoutfitters.com/shop/johnny-ramone-tee?category=mens-tops&;color=072), with the sleeves cut off, leaving arm-hole thingys going midway down his torso, paired with[ black shorts](https://www.forever21.com/us/shop/Catalog/Product/21men/mens-bottom-shorts/2000261184<br%20/>) and matching [vans](https://www.vans.com/shop/mens-shoes-classics/primary-check-old-skool-black-white#pr-container<br%20/>). Half of his hair flowed down, the top of it pulled into a bun. He looked really nice. He slung a tan arm around my shoulder, smelling like cocoa butter, cologne, and smoke. Looking up, I matched his smile. “Hey dude! I’m good. Like, really great. Really great. You look cool.” He laughed, and it was really clear and loud, but not in an obnoxious way. Just genuine, and very, very pretty. I didn’t stop smiling. “Alright, let’s grab a bite. I’m starved, and before you say no, I know you’ve been out trainin’ and catchin’ all day and you gotsta be real hungry after that. It’s the good stuff, trust me.”

 We sat next to each other next to a huge bonfire. The fathers and grandfathers of the community relentlessly barbequed various meats to a glazed, juicy perfection. Hau and I ate like fucking pigs, and we were so involved in the beautiful food in front of us, we barely spoke, only exchanging, “Woo!shit this is fucking godly”and “I am so happy, I would be okay with dropping dead right now.”

 I placed a hand over my stomach, the other under my head as I laid on the grass. I was glad my shorts were high waisted, because my gut would’ve been fuckin’ out if they weren’t. With a thump, Hau groaned and plopped down next to me. “I feel like I’m going into labor. I might die.”

I snorted, “I’m still gonna smoke your ass. Right after the delivery.” I thought that was really funny, and I let out a guffaw at my own joke. He laughed because it was stupid. We both cackled like idiots and it didn’t help the stomach situation. I gasped “oh god shut up, please i can’t laugh anymore i’m seriously gonna get hurt-pHhhhtT”, and that sent us into another round of giggles. The sun still hadn’t gone down. Tears had collected in the corner of my eyes and I blinked them away to try not to fuck my makeup up. Hau let them stream down his face as he wheezed, trying to calm down. A shadow covered my face, my cheeks hurting from smiling so much. I looked up to see a tall figure, meeting curious, bright green eyes. I shot up.

“Blondie! Hey!” Hau only leaned his head back against his arms. “Hiya, Lillie!”he said warmly. She sat next to me, smoothing her white dress down. “Hello Moon, Hau. You two look very happy. That’s good.”

He laughed. “We both just ate enough for a whole country. And you? Did you just get here?”

She nodded. She had braided two strands of her platinum hair and pinned them to make a little ring around her head. Kind of like a halo. Her shoulders were sunburnt, tinged red next to the straps of her [dress](http://www.hm.com/us/product/73498?gclid=CjwKCAiAqvXTBRBuEiwAE54dcMcloQa8_9dwbhQZQhruUAWMz-ThbL6x4yVbhB0zsSf7SG3BllUn3BoCmewQAvD_BwE&;article=73498-A&;s_kwcid=AL!860!3!200226268295!!!g!362029166087!&;ef_id=Vu8@GAAABd1O3Ldd:20180210052015:s),clearly not used to or meant for the harsh alolan sun. Looking at her in the hazy orange of the fire and sun, I noticed the faint freckles that were speckled across her face. Over her elegant nose, and under her blonde eyebrows. She had very light eyelashes, not a spot of mascara on them. She raised an eyebrow. “Is there something wrong? Is there food on my face, oh, I ate those things on sticks-” She wiped at her mouth, and I shook my head “No, no, sorry. I zoned out.” Next to her, Hau leaned over his shoulder and pretended to make out with the air. I laid back down, flipping him the bird when she wasn’t looking. We all stretched out on the grass. Lillie’s hands were folded neatly over her stomach, her [boots](https://www.urbanoutfitters.com/shop/harlow-faux-leather-o-ring-ankle-boot?adpos=1o1&;cm_mmc=SEM-_-Google-_-PLA-_-373426258759_product_type_womens_product_type_shoes_product_type_boots_brand&;color=011&;creative=209990449616&;device=c&;gclid=CjwKCAiAqvXTBRBuEiwAE54dcPemny2WS6349ib8kFc4C1ux1wEJPx8x46TxuZb-qtk6WlpnfI-SAxoCmhEQAvD_BwE&;inventoryCountry=US&;matchtype=&;mrkgadid=3274409774&;mrkgcl=671&;network=g&;product_id=44030377&;rkg_id=h-12f41e97063735afa34157e40f471f8b_t-1518240275&;utm_campaign=Google&;utm_content=373426258759_product_type_womens_product_type_shoes_product_type_boots_brand&;utm_medium=paid_search&;utm_source=SEM&;utm_term=GSC%202.0%20-%20Women%27s) already stained with grass, Hau’s were vaguely tracing the creamy-orange clouds in the sky, and mine were folded under my head.

 We chatted about our days, Hau and I pulling our pokedexes out and reading them, seeing who could narrate more dramatically, competing for who had the cooler pokemon. Lillie giggled at our stupid, stupid jokes, for some reason finding them ironically funny. I could tell she wasn’t used to this. She would sometimes laugh before a joke was said, or when it wasn’t a joke at all. She didn’t say much, but I liked her little comments. It didn’t matter that she was awkward. She’d be getting accustomed to us. Hopefully. Hopefully we would all spend enough time together for that to happen. I noticed her staring at the Pokedex in my hand. “What’s up? Wanna try reading? You can’t do it better than me, i’ll warn you from the start.” She reddened. “Oh. No, nothing, it’s nothing.” Hau raised an eyebrow, following where Lillie’s eyes had been, his own hazel ones widening as he leapt up, lunging across Lillie (poor girl let out a yelp), grabbing my hand, inspecting it with wild eyes. “OOOH MY GOD? Moon, you whole ass pimp. There’s no way. Your first day out and you’re already landing people? What’s their name? They a 10? OH no you don’t, you don’t get to escape this.” Once I had realized what they were talking about I had tried pushing Hau’s face away from my had before he could read it, but the damage had been done. Lillie was stiff next to me. Hau jabbed at my chest. “WHO? ANSWER.”

 “Hey! Kiddos! Enough lazing around! Everyone’s revved up to watch you two battle!”

Kukui stood, a drink in each hand, lab coat discarded, the ratio of beach boy vs. geek being thrown off balance. Putting a hand on our shoulders, he ushered us to the stage commenting on how I had made a name in the small town already, making Hau playfully roll his eyes. People whispered as we took our positions on the wooden floor.

 "Oh, Hau’s got this in the bag, the kid’s been full o’ piss and vinegar since he was up to my thigh.”

 “The girl’s name is Moon, my friend told me. She’s cool! I want her to win.”

 “I hope one of em’ cries”

 “I wanna battle like that!”

 We grinned. It felt nice, being the center of attention. We were both picturing the same thing. This, in a professional area, with live spectators, commentators, audiences going crazy. This was just a warm up for that. Barely a taste of the adrenaline I was gonna feel one day. One day.

 He tossed a pokeball from hand to hand, stopping to dramatically point a finger at me.

“Moon! If i win, you’re telling me, you got it? And I get bragging rights. Oh, and when I say you’re telling me, I mean every detail, every little one.” His smirk grew.

 I laughed, expanding Orion’s pokeball in my hand. “Oh? And if I win?”

 His eyes looked like the bonfire, piercing into me, filling me with the passion they held. His smile held confidence, strength.

 “Not a fuckin’ option”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello i yam back wassup b  
> Leave comments and get me thru the day? tbh this is my fave chapter yet. guess the break was worth it? maybe? u tell me. I LOVE HAU, that is all


	12. Color On The Walls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> coming towards her, stuck still, no turning back

The crowd gasped. Orion dodged. _Hit em’ with an Ember, dodge, shit, that was a little too close bud, c’mon, c’mon, you’re faster, one more hit._

Orion flipped in the air, shaky on the landing, skidding a little bit, but it served its purpose- the thunder shock left a scorch mark where the black cat once was. _Go, go!_ I yelled out a command, and the sound of claws against the floor  let me know that I would win, because he was still moving, and if he was moving, he could outspeed, and if he could outspeed then _he_ _just needed to land this_ \- _There you go, that’s right! Fuck yes!_ On the opposite side of the stage I heard a “C’mon, c’mon, go, g- No! Shit!”

I wasn’t sure how much of my commentary was in my head or being yelled out, and reflecting on it, I really should’ve been embarrassed, but it was done, I won, we won. I let out a big whoop as Orion leapt into my arms. The crowds whoops where white noise, but I smiled big, vaguely aware of the compliments.

“You. Are. Incredible. Like wooah! You were all _woosh, boof, fwoom!_ You’re so cool.” He smiled, his point teeth poking out as he touched his cute little nose to mine. I really could’ve cried, he was so adorable, and strong, and man, was he fast, and he was my partner, he chose me, of all idiots. His bright yellow eyes held so much pride, so much trust already, my heart swelled. Even the people watching let out a resonating “ _Awwwww.”_

The fallen pokemon shuffled into the opposing trainers arms a few feet away.“Ah, bud. You did really well. Heyyy, now don’t frown like that! I’m proud to have you on the team. Get some rest, okay?” I heard the sound of a pokemon being returned. Hau crossed his arms and huffed. I grinned at him, ready to make a winning Snarky Remark, one of my many talents, but Hau raised a hand to my face. “Not an option, huh? Guess I just made it one, surfer boy,” he mocked my voice and puppeted his mimic with his hand. Clapping his hands together like a beggar, he pleaded, “Spare me from the smart assery, almighty Moon. I beg of you.” He had a wide grin on his face and I shook my head, laughing. “Yeah, you’re off the hook, but you’ll get it twice as worse next time.”

As he muttered something about me thinking that there was gonna be a next time, I played the battle again in my head. Orion was lithe and agile, no doubt, but he needed better control. He stumbled a little too much for comfort, but then again, it was only his second major battle, and training with faster opponents would help in that criteria. His attacks were always well timed and precise, I noted. He was definitely clever on his own- even when i’d call for an attack, he’d slow it down a little or speed it up for a perfect opening.  Hau was noticeably stronger and confident- rather than spending too many turns raising his Pokemon’s stats, he was comfortable enough to go straight in the offensive. He already had another Pokemon in his team, named it somethin’ real dumb too- Sparky? Who the fuck names a Pichu Sparky? I would’ve Thunder Shocked him if I was it. I was still giddy from post-battle adrenaline, so I may or may not have said that out loud, earning an offended gasp from the other boy, as well as a punch on the shoulder that was a little too hard to be considered playful.

The crowd had dissipated, the adults cleaning up, a casual chatter in the air as the sun tiptoed the edge of the horizon, deep orange against the fuchsia clouds and purpling sky. Kukui and the kahuna appeared in front of us, giving a booming spiel (again)- something along the lines of “this battle is an offering the mighty Tapu Koko!” and other honorific mumbo jumbo that I couldn’t seem to hone in on. My hearing fading in and fading out, the explanation of the island challenge whizzed over my head; I had heard it about 10 times already, the professor seeming to explain it like he never had each time. Maybe it was the post battle crash, but the repetition, the motions of it all, as well as the ache for adventure that felt like it was still never going to come, because I was still there, still in Iki, still comfortable, had me mutely nodding through the speeches that Hau looked like he was going to nut over.

“You still in there, sprout?”

“Not at all.”

The nasty habit of saying the first thing that came in my head hadn’t gone away yet, it seemed. Still, the professor chuckled, explaining that Hau had gone over to finish packing, which- of course meant that he hadn’t started, because he was Hau, and Hau was the embodiment of being a hot mess in the most charmingly attractive way someone could manage. While he did that, the Professor was going take us to his lab, or as Lillie whispered under her breath to me,  his “loony bin,” her face either going red because she realized what she had said or because I thought it was hilarious. The professor saw my exasperated huff at the concept of another stop before getting the fuck out of there and assured me that right after, he’d set us out into the city and we’d be sleeping at one of the Pokemon Center Inns that littered the routes of Alola for trainers and travelers to rest at. That nulled me over for a bit.

The lab smelled like ash, either from the professor’s cigarettes, or, judging from the scorch marks on the floor, explosions. It was a nice place however, the chestnut wood flooring, albeit marred with the outcomes of experiments, tinted with blue light coming from the Luvdisk tank that took up the corner of the room. As the Professor went downstairs to retrieve… whatever it was that he was so giddy about, I let my eyes wander around the room.

I pointed at the ladder. “Yo Lillie. What’s that?”

She shot up from her seat, eyes a little wild. “Nothing.” It was unconvincing. “It’s just a ladder,” she tried.

I went over to climb it. “No! Wait!” She blocked me in front of it.

“Damn, what’s the big deal? Oooh are there dangerous experiments? I gotta see this. Sorry, Blondie.”

Lightly shoving her out of the way, I climbed up, spidermonkey style. And I saw. . . Pink. Like, a whole fuck ton of pink. With a quick scan of the place, I turned around and looked down at my victim, who, even though was covering her face with her hands, I could see her complexion increasingly matching the shade of her bedspread. I had a wide grin and bemused eyes as I asked a question I knew the answer to.

“Lillie… is this your room?”

She groaned, pulling down her hat to cover her face with. I snickered, plucking a rather gaudy looking Cleffable pillow, complete with rose colored sequins, off her mattress. “Oh wow… This. This is real tasteful.”

Her face popped over the ledge of the overhang as she clambered up. With a pout, she defensively clutched the pillow back to her chest. “It was on sale!”

Before I could ask if the Corsola plush on her desk was also on sale, the Professor strolled up the stairs of the basement, shooting me an amused smile. “Alright, alright, cut the teasing, kiddo. Yeah, Lillie’s been stayin’ here as my assistant, helpin’ me around with my work. She’s a real help, too.”

“Oh, no sir, it’s the least I can do for you, after you’ve shown me so much hospitality,” she said earnestly, threading her hands together. Kukui’s eyes shone with warmth as he mussed her hair.

“You’re a gem, kid.”

He turned to me. “But besides that, I’ve got somethin’ for our champ to be!” In a meager attempt to look cool, I jumped from Lillie’s room to the main floor, mildly spraining my ankle but getting a wide eyed look of wonder from her, so was it worth it? Definitely . “Oh, goodie. Show me what you’ve got, Professor.”

And so I was introduced to Rotom, the charming Pokemon with a complete lack of an  attention span, who was to possess my electronic encyclopedia- cleverly dubbed the Rotomdex, real creative Kukui, I mean, seriously- nonetheless, Rotom’s zeal was welcomed, and I knew it’d be a great help in getting around Alola. I sat on the couch as it buzzed around me in a rather one-sided game of twenty questions as we waited for Hau to show up, in which it told me that it’s favorite color was somewhere between teal and aquamarine, that possessing a toilet is a lot more fun than one would think, and that it thinks that taking embarrassing candid photos is an art form.

“You know trainer, I could very well inhabit the whole stock market, or oh! Maybe the PC system! Wouldn’t that be something? Not that I’d be too interested, crashing the stock market seems chaotic and all, but there’s not that much action for me, see? But still, if you ever get bored of this trainer shtick, we could potentially collapse the whole gov-”

The doorbell rang, interrupting Rotom’s vaguely concerning, yet very interesting spiel. “I got it, it’s probably just Hau,” I brushed off my shorts, halfway to the door when a cacophony of deafening rings assaulted my ears, with the obnoxious yell of “LET ME IN LET ME IN LET’S GO C’MOOONNN.” My ears ringing, I stomped over to the door, throwing it open and immediately slapping one hand over Hau’s loud ass mouth, and grabbing his finger that was repeatedly jabbing the doorbell in the tune of Beethoven’s 5th Symphony with the other. A muffled, “Oh hey buddy,” escaped through my fingers and I glared at him, feeling his smug grin grow under my hand. “You’re hellspawn, Hau. Hellspawn.”

Plucking my hand off, he waltzed in, jubilant as ever, and in a light voice, he said, “ C’mon, c’mon, what’s taking you guys? Let’s get this show on the road, shall we?”

Before I could tackle him, Lillie delicately placed a hand on my shoulder, effectively placating me. “Right then, let’s go. The sun is almost down, we won’t have much time to explore the city. Though, the city is very nice at night, I imagine- ah, but then we won’t get to go on the beach- actually it might already be too chilly out-”

Kukui laughed, deep and rich, waving a hand in the air. “Relax! Relax. There’s no need for alla that panicking, cuz. If we head out now, I’ll show you kids around the Pokemon school, then we can go right to the city. I’m sure you’ll wanna shop around, so I’ll let you kiddos loose, then we can meet at the Pokemon Center Inn and you all can hit the sack. Sound like a plan?” All three of us looked at each other with a grin, barely containing our excitement. It was time to actually get out there and it seemed too good to be true.“Before that though,” Kukui rummaged in his pockets and tossed two necklaces at Hau and I. It was bright and eye catching, and I quickly fastened it to my neck. Hau fumbled with the clasp under his long hair, tongue sticking out in concentration, before sheepishly looking at me. I laughed, making him hold his dark locks up as I put on the necklace while Kukui explained. “Those are your island challenge amulets. It’ll help people recognize you as trainers and challengers, and nice folks might wanna lend you a hand if they see it. Now, to the trainer’s school, whoo hoo!”  

\---

“Oh, c’mon!” The boy theatrically thumped to the ground with a pout, looking up at me. “I’m the strongest one here, ya know.”

I grinned, pulling him up. “I could tell.”

He eyed me, a small smile popping up on his face. He looked a little younger than me, about thirteen. “Seriously? Or are you just saying that.”

“You made me use a potion. I’m serious, you’re tough. . .” I snickered, “I’m just tougher.” There was a defensive “Hey!” and a swat to my arm but I laughed, mussing his hair in response. He relaxed and handed me a couple of bucks. We had only made the match worth 10 dollars, but I waved it off. “Don’t worry about it. I charged the other kids more.” I said, waving him off. I heard him giggle behind me.

The rest of the trainers at the school were easy to beat, they were kids after all, but Orion and Izzy, a recent addition to the team, a Grubbin to be precise, gained levels, so it was a worthwhile experience. Rotom buzzed around my head, streaming out a rapid fire of data it had been collecting from each battle and new Pokemon I caught as Orion padded around my feet, eyeing Rotom with the same glint in his eyes that he had before pouncing on an opponent. I quickly returned him to his pokeball. Overhead, the P.A system crackled, “Hau and Moon to the office, please! Hau and Moon to the office on floor two, please!” My eyebrow shot up, but I quickly saw Hau waving me over at the entrance of the school with Lillie. I jogged over and she shot me a worried look. “You two wouldn’t be in trouble would you?,” her eyes darting from me and him. Hau waved a hand in the hair, as if to say “oh please”, “No way, we’re probably gonna get awarded for how cool we were! Right, Moon?” He threw in a wink for good measure. I doubted we were in trouble, however Hau’s idea seemed just as far fetched, no Pokemon pun intended. I nodded though, and Lillie’s face visibly relaxed. “Alrighty, let’s go, then.”

Hau  walked into the building, and began to follow, but Lillie stayed put.“C’mon, whatcha waiting for, Blondie? Leggo.” She looked at me, surprised. “Oh! Ah, I- I can’t? The principal only called you two… I can’t intrude. It would be rude of me to come with you both.” I rolled my eyes, and she squeaked a little when I pulled her by her elbow, rolling my eyes. “Please. You’re not intruding. You’re part of the team, right?” She hesitated still, biting her lip, “But...Moon, I’m not a trainer. How could I be part of-” I twisted around, planting my hands on her freckled shoulders.

“Fuckin trainer-shmainer! Who cares! You’re on **my** team!” I slowed down, catching the volume of my voice and how wide her pale green eyes had gotten. _Reign it in, Moon_. “Listen. Trainer or not, you’re here for a reason, and we’re in this together. We’re gonna figure out what Nebby is, and Hau and I will aim for the top. And we’ll do it together.” I dropped my hands and smiled. Unsure. A little hesitant, I guess. “...Got it memorized, Blondie?”

And her eyes, the ones that were the exact same color as an old crayon I had that I couldn’t remember the name of, hardened, a look of something akin to determination setting in. And her hands, they had freckles on them too, she was covered in them, balled into fists and her long blonde hair fell over her shoulder as she gave a solid nod. “I got it.”

Hau was waiting for us by the stairs and his smile wasn’t a smirk, no, and it was softer than his big grins, more sincere, and that’s how I knew that his fucking ear had been glued to the door as soon as he realized his two friends hadn’t followed him inside the school. And I didn’t mind, really, because I knew he would’ve said the exact same thing.

\---

The principal was a tall, broad shouldered woman with lips as red as her heels and a tight bun that looked like it was stretching her skin back. Even Hau seemed to wither under her intense glare, and Lillie was practically hiding behind him. And who was Hau hiding behind? Well, me of course! Your neighborhood human shield against intimidating women who have a little bit of power and a bold lip. She peered over her glasses, her gaze stern but not unkind.

“So. Moon, Hau. Both of you managed to defeat my students, is that correct?” I gave a small “yes, ma’am”, and Hau, seemingly bold, now that his accomplishments were being acknowledged, stepped out from behind me, a proud grin of course. “Yeah, we’re pretty strong, you know?” Her gaze sharpened. “I would certainly hope that defeating my students was an easy task. They are middle school trainers after all. Beginners.” I elbowed Hau as he stuttered on his words in response. I nervously laughed. “Right. Uh, of course, ma’am.”

She scanned me up and down, and her black, piercing eyes gave me the impression that she was judging me. Like hardcore. I gulped. In a shocking turn of events, her ruby lips broke out in a smile. Not because she was particularly happy, it looked more… Mischievous, almost. Hau gaped beside me.

“Well, let’s see if you really are as strong as you claim,” and a part of me wanted to interject and say _Hey wait lady, hold it, he said that not me,_ but she continued, “I challenge you both to a battle. Do you accept?” Hau and I exchanged looks. Battling was something we could do, a game we knew, were familiar with. We nodded. She withdrew four pokeballs from her purse. “Two for you, two for him. It wouldn’t be a challenge of you knew your opponents.”

Lillie waved her hands in front of her, a look of concern on her face. “Sorry to interrupt, but in here, ma’am? Wouldn’t battling outdoors be. . .safer?” She looked frantically between us two, who were seconds away from tossing out our pokemon. The principal nodded once, firmly, “Self discipline and power go hand in hand. Learning to take down your enemy without damage, and in smaller spaces, will prove to be a valuable skill for trainers. Her mouth was in a cute little “o” from understanding. The principal turned to me, a flash of confidence in her eyes. She had experience, it was obvious. Years of it, too. From her hands, that, even with long acrylic nails, look gnarled from labor, mildly scarred and calloused, to the worn leather of her pokeball container. “Ready, trainer?” I smiled, all white teeth and confidence- confidence that only had a few measly battles to back it up, but it was still there, still a part of me. A flash of scarlet reflected in the woman’s eyes, and Orion appeared, his fur sticking up in excitement, and he turned back to me with his yellow eyes sharing the same pride, the same confidence, the same love we had for battling.

We called for our pokemon attack at the same time, and her Magnemite filled the room with static as it raced forward, probably going to tackle. Orion dodged, getting grazed a little, but he put distance between them again.“Orion, get close to it, then Ember, as close as you can, got it? It’s probably going to go for another tackle.” I was right. Orion pounced, jumping onto the Magnemite right as it was going to pummel into him, and he dug his claws into it as it shook vigorously, it’s trainer calling out to it to get Orion off. But it was too late. He stuck his face as close to the Magnemite’s eye as he could, spitting an ember right onto it in point blank range. The ember propelled my pokemon backwards, right into my arms, and I caught him. I looked to my opponent. Her eyes were wide with surprise, and something that looked like familiarity. Like she just had just seen a ghost. I shrugged it off. One down, one to go. The principal commended me, albeit with a voice that sounded strained, and released a. . . Meowth?

“Wh- what is that?” She looked confused, her brows furrowed, then something dawned on her, and she slapped a hand to her forehead. “Right, of course. You’re from Kanto, aren’t you?” I nodded. “I see. This is a Meowth, however, it looks different compared to the ones you’ve seen, is that correct?” I nodded yet again. “They’re called regional variants. Through evolution and differing variables, some pokemon have uniquely adapted to their habitats, taking on a different form than usually found in other regions,  understand? Throughout your journey, you find that a few of the pokemon that you remember will have a differing form, along with type, ability, and movesets. It would be to your benefit to learn as much as you can about this topic.” I tapped my chin. “That’s interesting. I’ll look more into it, I still have questions…” Did it apply to the whole evolution line? Did they still have the same name? Was the Kanto variant a minority and the Alolan a common form in most other regions? I snapped out of my thoughts. “Sorry. I was astrally projecting. Thanks for explaining. Let’s finish this.” She nodded, releasing her next pokemon as Hau and Lillie cheered me on.

\---

She handed Hau his prize money along with a begrudging “Congratulations,”  just as I had earned moments before. “Good work you two. Not only did you both beat me, you did so without any healing items, and,” Se gestured to the room around her, a look of something akin to pride on her face, “The room remains spotless.” She put her hands on her hip, surveying us again with a grin on her face. She looked much nicer when she smiled. “Aren’t you two something.”

Hau was all grins as he held my hands and jumped in excitement. “We’re!” jump “So!” jump “Cool!” jump. I laughed, holding him still. “We are pretty damn cool.” Lillie’s eyes were shining. “That was so. . .Wow. You both battle so differently, but it was so… so, um-”

“Awesome?” I offered.

“Awesome,” she said, smiling, with a resolute nod.

I sighed and ran my hands through my hair, reaching down to pet Orion under the chin. “You did real good, bud. I’m proud of you.” He let out a low purr, nuzzling into my hand. Hau and Lillie cooed and began petting him as well. Lillie took out a pokepuff and fed it to him. The little bastard relished the attention, facing belly up and letting out cute meows, looking pure and angelic like he had never thought about tackling a rotom out of the sky. Then, all of a sudden, you know we should’ve been used to it at this point, Orion shouldn't have hissed, Lillie shouldn’t have stood up in alarm, and Hau and I  definitely shouldn’t have yelped and clutched each other like lifelines, because really it was becoming too common of an occurrence.

Kukui might as well have kicked down the door. He burst through the doorway, arms spread like he was preaching the gospel. “Yo yo yo kiddos! You both did amazing! What a sight! You guys were like- POW! BOOM! H-”

“Kalei. I have a class going a door down. Turn the volume down.” The principal stood, back straight, much taller than Kukui, her stern aura contrasting his breezy vibes. “Oh! Leona, cuz, thanks for letting these kids come here and train, you’re a sweetheart. And that battle, whoo! You gave em’ a run for their money, eh?”

“I let them train for their benefit. Not as a favor to you.” She leered at him. Hau, Lillie, and I watched the conversation like a ping pong match. Those two definitely had a history. First names? Banter? Passive aggressive versus vague, over the top thanking? You could practically hear Kukui’s sheepishness when he said, “Ah. Right, ahem- Oh! A-anyway, where’s Ilima? He watched the match with me like it was an evening soap.”

And that’s when he walked in. He was slightly flushed, probably from jogging up the stairs, but there wasn’t any sweat on his face. And that face- I was sure my mouth had dropped open a little.

_Maybe I died in the battle. The principal fucking killed me. It has to be. I died, and that gorgeous man is my angel._

He had soft, pink hair, the color of petals, done up in a high ponytail with his fluffy side swept bangs tucked behind a pierced ear. He looked like a literal prince, I decided. With his clear, glassy blue eyes, and a small amount of shimmer on his cheekbones and nose that caught under light and made him look ethereal. His glossy lips were the same color as his hair, rosy and delicate. Hau pinched me way too hard, and I was barely able to pry my eyes away from the angel, to see that Hau had a rosy tint to his cheeks and his eyes communicated- “Are you seeing this guy, too? Or am I dreaming?” Lillie looked confused, tilting her head at our blatant admiring.

“Incredibly sorry for being late,” He fixed his collar and began strolling up to me. _Act natural. You’re cool, you’re chill. He’s really hot. Oh, for fucks sake._  He held his hand out to me, and said, “A pleasure to meet you, Moon. I am Captain Ilima.” I managed to speak. “I- It’s nice to meet you, Captain.” I shook his hand, and he swiftly caught mine, pressing his lips to it. “No need for formalities. Just Ilima is fine.” Quite frankly, I almost passed out. I fully would not have minded dying in his arms. I felt like the main character of a dating sim.

Hau’s eyes were wide when Ilima did the same to him, kissing his hand, which literally caused him to squeak out loud, and I swear, I saw Ilima smirk when he heard the squeak, I swear, and greeting him kindly. He turned to Lillie, who, with a stony look in her eyes, stuck her hand out first, causing him to take it. She shook it firmly, her grip strong, saying it was a pleasure to meet him, and promptly let go with a tight but kind smile on her face. He returned the smile, with narrow eyes.

 

“I observed your battles, and I must say- It was a beautiful sight. Both of you looked so delightful, I simply had to meet you.” He pointed to me and yeah, I might have jumped, so what? “You. Professor Kukui informed me that you’re Kantonian. That’s interesting. I’m impressed. You have a wonderful grasp on using moves in unique ways to your best advantage. Tell me, have you been battling since you were young?”

I smiled, nodding. “I have. I used to battle for money since I was about eight or nine.”

He peered at me with those crystal eyes, humming in response, his hand on his chin. As he studied my face, my discomfort under his gaze growing larger, he suddenly stood up straight with a bright smile. All he said was, “I see.” He almost looked giddy.

 

He addressed Hau and I, while Lillie stood with Kukui and the principal. “I look forward to seeing both your brilliance at my trial. It is held at Verdant Cavern, and it’ll bring you a step closer to challenging the Kahuna.” He turned sharply to Hau. “You grandfather, correct?” When Hau shakily nodded, Ilima let out one of the cutest giggles i’ve heard. “Why am I not surprised. You’ve got his passion, even if it is hidden behind an easygoing exterior.” Hau beamed. It was like seeing a dog being called a good boy. Ilima turned, heading out the door. He waved goodbye in a two fingered salute, with the words, “I sincerely look forward to seeing you both in the near future.”

The door clicked closed, and Hau and I gaped for a full thirty seconds before he faintly clutched his shirt over his heart. The two adults in the room had faces that were amalgams of amusement and vague concern. Lillie just looked downright confused. Hau let out a whisper. “I think. I- I can’t function anymore.”

The principal- or, Leona, as Kukui called her (it would be rude to call her by her first name out loud, but I could think it- it was a pretty name), scoffed, a sardonic smile on her face. “Yes, he does seem to have that effect on people. In fact, Moon seems to have gone completely post verbal.”

“I-I-uh”, I spluttered, caught between wanting to say, “I have no idea what you’re talking about” or “I want him to fucking step on me”.

“Oh, the poor dear.” Leona looked at me pityingly. Kukui doubled over laughing upon seeing our blatant flustered state. Wiping tears from his eyes, he said, “Alright, alright-ha- Okay, kiddos, now that you’ve finished your training here, I think I can show you guys the Center. Sound good?” He turned to Leona, scratching the back of his head. “Ah- but seriously, Leona. Thanks for this.” He gave her a nervous smile. I hadn’t seen him look hesitant before.

She uncrossed her arms, her face softening, and she shook her head. “You don’t change, do you Kalei? It was my pleasure,” she turned to face us, “You kids are strong, not to mention clever. You have potential beyond any doubt. But, you both need to work on the defense of your team. You two have strong and fast attackers, however there isn’t any point if your opponent can take you down in one hit. Smart trainers always have a defensive wall. Remember that. I look forward to seeing you guys grow.”

Hau grinned. “You’re a nice lady, Principal. Thanks for helping us.”  She scoffed, ruffling his hair. The rest of the group said their goodbyes, Lillie politely bowing and thanking her for the experience, and me shaking her hand on the way out.

I was the last one leaving when she called out, “Moon, wait.”

I turned, my eyebrow raised. “Ma’am? Is everything alright?” She had a pensive look on her face, her hand over her mouth in thought, brows drawn together in concern. “You battle. . .uniquely. I can tell the type of trainer you are. Type disadvantages won’t turn you off from a battle- you probably don’t believe in using too many healing items. Some people would call your style fighting dirty, but we both know you fight smart. You fight to win. You won’t turn back from something even it looks daunting. That’s admirable. But. . .” She hesitated. “Yes?” I prompted. Her head snapped up, like she was lost in thought and she just noticed I was here. Her expression was something I couldn’t grasp, something I had no place trying to understand. “I-Just- It’s okay to lose, Moon. It’s okay to turn around. There’s no shame in not being number one.”

I swallowed thickly. She was speaking like she had known me my whole life, like she had seen me through it all. Her melancholic tone made my skin prickle for a reason I couldn’t place. Processing what she was saying- I wasn’t sure what to think. Part of me found myself irked that she thought that she knew me. The other thought she wasn’t far off about me- but it wasn’t as though I didn’t know my limits. She was wrong about that. It’s not like I would be, like, ashamed of losing. I just wouldn’t lose in the first place. That simple. I concurred in my head.

 _She’s wrong. I’m not some reckless idiot. I know my limits_ . _She doesn’t know me._

“I- Right. You’re right ma’am. I’ll make sure to keep that in mind.” I knew better than to challenge her, to refute her advice. Her words came from a place of concern. Even though it was misplaced. She didn’t meet my eyes when she said goodbye for a second time, and as the door clicked closed behind me, suddenly the red lips and pointed nails looked like plastic weapons for intimidation. For her to hide behind, for her to protect herself with. She took them out for Kukui, but she couldn’t keep the facade up. In fact, she couldn’t keep it up for some stranger kids. I laughed to myself.   _She should work on that._

After shouting a loud goodbye to the gaggle of kids I had previously battled, I jogged to the street outside of the school, the Alolan sky a navy blue above me. It struck me just how many more stars there were compared to Kanto. A sigh of relief left me when I saw a familiar white dress, stark as ever against the shadows. “Oi! Blondie!” Her head snapped to me, but she didn’t smile back. I hooked my arm with hers when I came up next to her. She didn’t look at me. I felt a knot of anxiety start forming in my gut.

“Hey, is everything alright? Did I do something?” She looked surprised. “Oh- No, it wasn’t you at all. I’m sorry for making you worry.”

“No! I mean- no worries. I- so. Uh, what is wrong?”

She hesitated. “Can I- Do you mind if I were to be completely honest? And you cannot tell anyone.”

“‘Course, dude. You know you can trust me.”

For a second she said nothing. Then a scowl formed on her face.

 

“Ilima seems scummy.”

 

My jaw dropped.

Murkrows flew from the trees as I cackled with laughter. I was practically just screaming. She said it with such a dead set fucking face, I couldn’t stop laughing. She joined in too, and she probably didn’t know why she was laughing.

I held the stitches in my side, doubled over, wheezing and giggling in the spare moments I had the breathe to. She wiped tears from her eyes, “I-ha- I’m serious! He seems so full of him- ha- himself! I just don’t like him.”

I straightened myself out, and found myself smiling as Lillie hooked elbows again right when I stood up. “I mean, I can’t say much about him other that he’s a meal. You might get a vibe from him, but who knows, he could be a really good guy. Gotta keep the mind open, babe.”  She laughed again, saying, “I suppose you’re right.” She looked up at the sky, and I could see the lights reflect in her ivy eyes. Then, a thought struck me. “Hey- wait- where the hell are Kukui and Hau?”

“Oh, right! Hau really need to use the restroom- he said,” She began to mimic his accent in a frantic voice, “Jeez, Professor, I gotta take a piss real bad like super bad dude- So the Professor took him to the Center and I stayed to wait for you” She shook her head, but there was a smile on her face. “He’s silly.”

I grinned in somewhat of an awe. “Lillie. You’re cool as fuck.”

Her nose was the first part of her that began blushing pink. “What do you mean?”

“You’re surprisingly hilarious. You have a weird Pokemon that’s asleep in a duffle bag that seems to have tremendous power and unknown origins. You’re just as mysterious. You’re pretty awesome, man.”

She hummed, her face soft. I tilted my head back, letting her guide as I counted the stars. It was quiet for a while as we walked on the pavement. I stopped counting once I reached 76, and let myself just close my eyes and feel the breeze. Lillie must’ve noticed, as her arm tightened around mine, to make sure I wouldn’t trip.

 

“It’s you, you know.”

 

“Huh?” I looked down from the sky, and she was looking at me. Something made me think she might have been doing that the whole time.

 

“You- I-,” She took a deep breath. “I’ve never laughed that hard, you know? I’ve never told someone so much. I’ve never smiled this much. I’ve only known you for a little over a week and- you. You saved Nebby. I’ve seen you battle, and it’s as though- it’s as though you ignite the whole field.  You command attention, and when you call out that first attack, I know you’ll win. I just know. You tell me I’m cool, that I’m funny and- everytime I feel myself believe it a little more. Because coming from you, and that’s the highest compliment I could get. If you- the girl who embodies bravery, the trainer who’s impressed everyone she’s battled in front of, the one who glows with confidence, with energy- maybe it is true. No one’s ever told me that before. Any of that. And then you come in and it’s like - I- I’ve never had friends. But then I meet you, and I meet Hau, and I realize that this is what being comfortable is. This is what trust is. I’m lucky, you know? I’m lucky to know you, Moon.”

A million thoughts ran through my head and the multiple choice list popped up again, too many options of what I could say, and I scanned through them and recognized that words wouldn’t work this time so I did the next best thing, and I tackled her in a hug and if I could’ve spun her or some shit I would’ve bro but I was too damn short and she was too fuckin’ tall. So I just hugged her and she hugged back real tight and we swayed for a second and I was just so- so- My heart was just full. “That was so sweet, holy shit.”

And then she pushed back and that was fine because she was grinning ear to ear, and it was fine when she said that we should run to the center to make up for lost time because I told her I’d race her, and it was fine when she said she couldn’t run in those shoes because when I started sprinting she did too, and it was fine when we got to the center, all huge and  neon red and welcoming with bright lighting and clean floors, because I won the race and we were both flushed and she was panting, and it was fine because my heart felt like it was floating, and it was fine because I realized that I was lucky to be there at that moment, about to go on a journey with two amazing people and my team, my family with my by my side.

 

It was a little more than fine.

\---

The doors of the center slid open and there was a little jingle that played that I thought was kinda a bop. The air was crisp and conditioned. Synthy elevator-like music softly played, and upon inspection, the place had it all. There was a cafe bar in the corner where a woman laughed at a joke the barista told, the menu being displayed on the back wall on a pretty chalkboard with a hand drawn Pikipek that told us that the soup of the day was Kalos Onion. People chatted over in a lounging area complete with large bean bags, sofas, a television, table, and a bookshelf. The part that took up the most space was the healing center, a Nurse manning the machine as trainers handed their Pokemon over to her. There was a back room for more serious injuries for both Pokemon and people. The PC had a line in front of it, and right next to it was the Pokemart where two bland but conventionally attractive men sold the common needs of a trainer. There was a hallway that lead to the Inn, a connected building that trainers and travelers alike could get a nights rest for free. The Centers made most of their income on the Mart and cafe, and overall the facility was huge and served as a multi purposeful hub for literally everyone.

“Wow…” Lillie whispered. “This place is amazing.”

“Never been to a Center?”

“I’ve never needed to.”

 

“AY FUCKERS- oh sorry Professor, my bad- MOON! LILLIE! OVER YONDER!”

I recognized that bitches voice from a mile away, which really wasn’t an accomplishment seeing as he was literally yelling, and everyone was staring, and a mother covered her kid’s ears while she scowled at the oblivious boy. I shook my head, heading over where Kukui profusely apologized to the woman, “he’s a kid, cuz, hormones and all, i’m sure you can understand.”

“You guys took your time, huh. I already checked out a room on my own. Boys and girls ain’t allowed in a room together if they’re underage so we can’t have a sleepover,” he pouted.

“That would be inappropriate if they allowed that, Hau!” Lillie whispered.

I shrugged, “We can just sneak in your room.” Lillie gasped, swatting my arm. “Moon! No!”

Kukui popped in, placing a hand on Blondie’s head. “She’s the only one of you lot I can trust,” he grumbled, sneaking a glance behind him where the lady continued to leer, “I’ve done enough damage control for a night. No sneaking, for Tapu Koko’s sake. For my sake.” He put his hands in a begging motion.

I laughed, “I’ll comply this one time. Don’t get used to it.” He chuckled, shaking his head and looking at me with warm eyes. “I’ve already book your guys’ room. There’s two beds, don’t worry.”

He sighed a little, looking down at the three kids in front of him. “Guess this is it, kiddos. Time for you to go off on your own, huh?”

I smiled. He really was a big sweetheart. Hau frowned a bit. “This mean we won’t see you ‘till- if we finish the trials?”

He laughed, “Nah, nah. I can’t let you go completely by yourself. I’ll come with you kids to the other islands,” and upon seeing that Hau’s frown was still on his face, he added, “And i’ve got no doubt in this head o’mine that i’ll run into you lot pretty often. Don’t you worry. You’ve all got my number, right, if you need anything?”

“Yes, Professor, I made sure they all had it.”

“Don’t ever hesitate to call, alright? If you need help, or you’re lost, I know you have your pokedexes but still, even if you just need someone to talk to, I know being a teen is hard, or if you don’t have enough cash-”

“Professor,” I interrupted, “Don’t worry. We got this.”

“Yeah! We’ll be super strong the next time you see us, that’s a promise!”

“I’ll find out more about Nebby. And I’ll keep an eye on these two for you, you don’t have to worry, sir.”

Hau was the first one to hug him, and I pulled Lillie in to join. “Be good, alright? You kids have a lot to see, and I know the world is waiting for you guys. Make me proud out there.”

There was a echo of “We will” and the hug was over, and Kukui was saying goodbye, and I realized that this was it, that after all the fucking wait we were really on our own, and fighting our way to the top, and getting stronger, and this was just the start. So when Kukui took my hand and gave it a shake I looked him in his cocoa eyes and promised him with fire in my voice.

“One day I’ll be strong enough to beat you, Professor.”

And he raised his eyebrow, and then laughed, deep and rich as ever, and he was walking out those doors with the pretty little chime, and as they slid open, I saw a challenge in his eyes when he said,

“I’ll be waiting, then.”

\---

I squinted as the light from my phone stood stark against the pitch black of the room. The screen showed the time- Five in the morning. That was when I realized that sleep was not an option. I mean, it was a nice room and all, not too small, there weren’t like, bugs or anything, no it was clean and everything but. . .

It was just so… _stuffy._ The walls felt like they were closing in, the quilt felt too heavy, like it was holding me down, the air was too warm, I felt like I was sinking in the bed- it was just too much. I sat up, shutting my phone off. Across the room, Lillie slept, snoring fitfully in her light pink flannel pajamas. I would be too hot in those, with long sleeves and long pants. I didn’t know how she wasn’t suffocating. I had drank about five glasses of water already, each time hoping that it was what would help me go to bed. I would quietly exit the room, looking like a crackhead with messy hair, no makeup, no shoes on, with the worker at the cafe saying, “I understand, it can be hard to sleep when you’re away from home, young miss.”

This time, I laced up my converse, fixed my hair (just a bit) and slipped out of the room, cracking the door open as little as I could so that the light didn’t wake Blondie up. I tiptoed down the hall, entering the main area. It was a 24 hour joint, and only a couple of people were around- a group of friends yawning on the couches, the Mart workers, the nurse, and the barista. I approached the counter.

“You guys sell tents or something?”

The man smiled with tired eyes. “We sure do! We have one’s that can hold up to three people!”

“For one person is fine. You got one that’s pretty long lasting? Maybe rain resistant and stuff?”

The worker next to him giggled at my groggy state and I really couldn’t blame him- I felt like a strong breeze would knock me over. “Yep! I’ll get it right out, it fits your requirements and it’s super easy to put up! Very modern and high tech. You’ll love it!”

“You’re too peppy. It’s six in the morning, my man.” I rubbed my eyes.

He winked. “It’s all part of the job, miss.”

I bought some more balls and potions just in case, and headed out. The barista bidded me a jolly goodbye, and the doors slid closed behind me. Rotom buzzed out of my bag as I called it out.

 

“Whoooa heya Moon, you look like you got hit by a train!”

 

“Oh, thanks buddy. Happen to know any good wooded areas I can set this shit up in?”

 

“Sure thing! I’ll lead you. You sure you wanna sleep outside?”

I yawned. “Mhm. I used to do this all the time in Kanto. After my dad ditched, my mom would work overnight, so I’d be all alone in the house. There was a big forest where I lived though, and in it was a clearing where you could see the stars. There weren’t that many, but I liked it out there. So I’d take a sleeping bag and conk out. I was still alone, but It was kinda okay. Like under that big sky, there was a lot of people alone. So I didn’t feel so bad about it.”

It made a low buzzing noise in response, and after a little walking on uneven terrain, the ground grassy and rocky, making it through a an area with towering trees and draping vines, came a clearing.

 

It was a little hill in between the trees, and it was ways behind the Center. But the moon shone down on the high point, and that’s where I set up the tent. It was black and came with blankets. I released Orion and Izzy, and Rotom circled around us. I laid the sleeping bag outside of the tent, laying down on top of it rather than under it. Thankfully the sun hasn't risen yet. Orion curled up to my side and Izzy was already sleeping fitfully under my arm. Orion purred deeply as I absentmindedly stroked his ears. Rotom beeped a little and I looked to it.

“It’s nice isn’t it.”

My eyelids felt heavy. “Yeah. Thanks for finding this place.”

“It isn’t a problem. Thank you- for everything.”

“What’s that mean?”

“It’s nothing. Go to sleep, trainer.”

 

And my eyelids were getting closer and closer to shutting when I noticed Rotom’s black screen spark to life again.

“You don’t have to feel bad about being alone anymore, do you?”

“Hmm?”

“You don’t have to, because you’re not. Alone, that is. You have a lot of people there for you. And you make them not lonely too. So. You don’t have to feel bad about being alone anymore. Because you have us, right?”

I hummed. “That’s right. Get some rest, okay?” It’s screen powered off as it floated down by my head.

And under the moonlight, surrounded by my partners, I slept like a rock.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AAAAAAA IM BACK  
> alexa play stronger by britney spears  
> this chapter b long i am going to try to stay consistent with this length  
> i truly feel like i am growing as a writer so much through this like each chapter i think is getting better and that makes me :DDD  
> I LOVE COMMENTS  
> please give some feedback and tell me what you thought or anything else!!  
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> twitter: dumbasslala  
> talk to me about anything, feel free to hmu


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